IAS Jafar Malik Repatriated Prematurely to Kerala Cadre on Personal Grounds
The Central Government has approved the premature repatriation of 2013-batch IAS officer Jafar Malik from the Ministry of Tribal Affairs to his parent Kerala cadre on personal grounds. Malik, who is currently serving as Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, will be relieved of his duties immediately and directed to report back to the Kerala cadre.
The decision has been conveyed through an Office Memorandum issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on September 23, 2026. The order states that the Competent Authority has approved the proposal of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs for Malik’s premature repatriation to his parent cadre, with a provision for “extended cooling off”. The officer may accordingly be relieved from his present responsibilities without waiting for the normal completion of his central deputation tenure.
DoPT Approves Premature Repatriation
The Office Memorandum, issued from the Office of the Establishment Officer, Department of Personnel and Training, carries file number F.No. 4/2/2025-EO (MM-I). It refers to an earlier communication from the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, bearing O.M. No. 19011/06/2025-Estt. dated September 15, 2026, concerning the proposed repatriation of the officer.
Following consideration of the proposal, the Competent Authority has given its approval for Malik’s premature return to his parent cadre. The order makes it clear that the repatriation has been approved on personal grounds, allowing the officer to return to Kerala before the scheduled conclusion of his deputation with the Union government.
The DoPT memorandum also specifically mentions the provision of “extended cooling off”. This provision has been included as part of the approved arrangement governing the officer’s return to his parent cadre.
Jafar Malik to Be Relieved Immediately
The order directs that Jafar Malik may be relieved of his duties immediately. Following his relief from the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, he has been directed to report to his parent cadre in Kerala.
This means that the administrative process for his return does not require him to continue in his present post until the originally expected end of his central deputation. Once relieved, the officer will come under the administrative framework of his parent cadre, where his next assignment will be decided in accordance with the applicable service and cadre procedures.
The memorandum does not specify any new posting for Malik in Kerala. It deals specifically with the approval of his premature repatriation and the consequential requirement for him to report back to the parent cadre.
2013-Batch Kerala Cadre IAS Officer
Jafar Malik is a 2013-batch Indian Administrative Service officer belonging to the Kerala cadre. His current assignment has been at the Centre, where he has been serving as Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
Central deputation gives officers from different state and joint cadres an opportunity to serve in Union government ministries and departments. Officers posted at the level of Deputy Secretary often handle important policy, administrative and programme-related responsibilities within their respective ministries.
Malik’s present posting in the Ministry of Tribal Affairs placed him within the Union government’s administrative structure dealing with matters concerning tribal communities and related programmes. His premature repatriation will now bring that central deputation to an early close.
What Is Extended Cooling Off?
The DoPT order specifically provides for “extended cooling off” in connection with Malik’s repatriation. Cooling-off provisions are used in the context of central deputation and are intended to regulate an officer’s movement between the Centre and the parent cadre after completing or ending a deputation assignment.
In Malik’s case, the memorandum specifically records that the premature repatriation has been approved “with the provision of extended cooling off”. The order does not provide additional details about the duration or other specific conditions of this provision, so those aspects cannot be inferred from the memorandum itself.
The important point is that the Competent Authority has approved the repatriation along with this particular administrative provision. The officer is therefore to return to Kerala while being governed by the conditions attached to the approved arrangement.
Ministry of Tribal Affairs Proposal
The process leading to the repatriation began with the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. The DoPT memorandum refers to the ministry’s Office Memorandum dated September 15, 2026, which contained the proposal concerning Malik’s premature repatriation.
After the proposal was considered at the appropriate level, the Competent Authority approved it. The DoPT subsequently issued the formal Office Memorandum dated September 23, communicating the decision and directing that the officer may be relieved immediately.
The sequence reflects the administrative procedure followed for premature repatriation of an officer serving on central deputation. The concerned ministry initiates or forwards the proposal, the competent authority considers it, and DoPT communicates the approved decision to the concerned parties.
Order Issued by Department of Personnel and Training
The memorandum has been issued by Ajit Kumar Ranjan, Deputy Secretary to the Government of India. A copy has been addressed to Ms. Ranjana Chopra, Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, at Kartavya Bhawan-1, New Delhi.
Copies of the memorandum have also been sent to the Cabinet Secretariat, including Ms. Kavita Singh, Joint Secretary, New Delhi. It has also been marked to the PS to the Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions and the PSO to the Secretary (Personnel), along with the concerned officers and desks in the Establishment Officer’s office.
The detailed circulation of the order ensures that the concerned ministry, Cabinet Secretariat and relevant personnel authorities are informed of the approved repatriation and the immediate relieving of the officer.
Malik’s Next Posting in Kerala Not Specified
While the DoPT order confirms that Jafar Malik will return to his parent Kerala cadre, it does not mention his next posting after repatriation. The memorandum is limited to the approval of his premature return and does not contain any separate posting or transfer order from the Kerala government.
His next assignment will therefore be a matter for the parent cadre authorities. Until a subsequent posting order is issued, the September 23 memorandum remains the key document concerning his movement from the Ministry of Tribal Affairs back to Kerala.
For now, the significant development is that the 2013-batch IAS officer’s central deputation has been curtailed on personal grounds, with the Competent Authority approving his immediate repatriation and directing him to report to his parent cadre. The order also specifically incorporates the provision of extended cooling off as part of the approved arrangement.
