41 Senior IAS Officers Empanelled for Secretary-Level Roles; 1990–95 Batches
On Saturday, February 28, 2026, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved the empanelment of 41 senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers drawn from diverse batches and state cadres. This empanelment paves the way for their consideration for appointment as Secretary or Secretary-equivalent in various ministries and departments of the Government of India.
Importance of Empanelment
The empanelment process is regarded as a crucial milestone in the career trajectory of an IAS officer. It formally qualifies them to be considered for some of the highest policymaking and administrative positions within the Central Government, including Secretary-level roles that shape national governance.
Officers Cleared for Secretary / Secretary-Equivalent Posts
The following officers have been empanelled for appointment as Secretary or Secretary-equivalent:
Keshav Kumar Pathak
S Gopalakrishnan
Surendra Kumar Bagde
Sanjay Lohiya
Keshav Chandra
Rohit Kansal
D Thara
Bharat Harbansal Khera
Satendra Singh
TK Anil Kumar
Abhishek Singh
Sushil Kumar Lohani
Dilip Kumar
Jaspreet Talwar
Rajeev Singh Thakur
Sanjay Kumar
MA Siddique
Ashutosh Jindal
Mritunjay Kumar Narayan
Santosh Kumar Yadav
Officers Cleared for Secretary-Equivalent Posts
The following officers have been empanelled for Secretary-equivalent positions:
Anju Sharma
Sanjay Gupta
Manisha Verma
Aniruddhe Mukerjee
Alok Kumar II
Dushyant Naria
Alok Shekhar
Leena Johri
Chandra Bhushan Kumar
H Rajesh Prasad
Sajan Singh Yadav
Archana Varma
Shakil P Ahammed
B Rajender
Rawther Dawood Nazeem
M Maheshwar Rao
Radhika Rastogi
Hitesh Kumar S Makwana
R Jaya
Bhuvnesh Kumar
Sanjay Prasad
Broad Representation Across Cadres
The latest empanelment list prominently features officers from the 1990 to 1995 batches, reflecting a wide spectrum of state cadres across the country. This diverse representation underscores the depth of administrative talent available to the Central Government for leadership roles in policymaking and governance.
