IRS Officer Bejoy John Appointed Director in Department of Higher Education Under Central Staffing Scheme
The Central Government has appointed Shri Bejoy John, an officer of the Indian Revenue Service (Customs & Indirect Taxes) – IRS (C&IT), 2008 batch, as Director in the Department of Higher Education, Delhi, under the Central Staffing Scheme.
The appointment has been approved by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) and comes at a time when the officer was on compulsory wait in the Ministry of Minority Affairs. With this posting, Bejoy John will now take up a key policy and administrative role in the Department of Higher Education, one of the most important departments under the Ministry of Education.
The latest order is part of the Centre’s ongoing exercise to deploy experienced officers from various civil services to strategic positions across ministries and departments under the Central Staffing Scheme.
Selected for Director-Level Assignment
According to the official order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training, Shri Bejoy John has been selected for appointment as Director in the Department of Higher Education, Delhi.
The appointment has been made under the provisions of the Central Staffing Scheme, through which officers from the All India Services and organised Group ‘A’ Central Civil Services are posted to important policy-making and administrative positions in the Government of India.
Officials said the appointment reflects the government’s continued effort to utilise experienced officers across ministries where their administrative and domain expertise can contribute to policy implementation and governance.
Tenure to Continue Until January 2028
The appointment order specifies that Bejoy John will serve in his new assignment up to January 23, 2028, which represents the balance period of his five-year deputation tenure at the Director level under the Central Staffing Scheme. His tenure will remain valid until January 23, 2028, or until further orders, whichever occurs earlier.
This means the officer will complete the remaining portion of his approved Central deputation instead of beginning a fresh five-year tenure. Such arrangements are common when officers are transferred from one Central assignment to another during their existing deputation period.
Officer Was on Compulsory Wait
Before receiving this appointment, Shri Bejoy John was serving in the Ministry of Minority Affairs, where he had been placed on compulsory wait. Compulsory wait is an administrative arrangement under which an officer remains available for assignment after being relieved from a previous posting and before assuming a new position.
The latest appointment effectively ends that interim period, enabling the officer to immediately transition to his new responsibilities in the Department of Higher Education.
Role of the Department of Higher Education
The Department of Higher Education, functioning under the Ministry of Education, is responsible for formulating and implementing policies relating to universities, colleges and institutions of higher learning across India.
The department oversees a wide range of subjects, including higher education reforms, academic standards, digital learning initiatives, scholarships, institutional funding, research promotion and coordination with regulatory bodies such as the University Grants Commission (UGC).
Director-level officers play an important role in policy formulation, programme implementation, inter-departmental coordination and monitoring of flagship initiatives undertaken by the Government of India in the higher education sector.
Appointment Under the Central Staffing Scheme
The appointment has been made under the Central Staffing Scheme, which provides a structured mechanism for posting officers from different civil services to key positions in Central ministries, departments and autonomous organisations.
The scheme allows experienced officers to contribute beyond their parent cadres by taking up assignments involving governance, policymaking and programme implementation at the national level.
Director-level positions under the scheme are considered significant leadership assignments that involve both administrative responsibilities and policy oversight. Officers serving under the Central Staffing Scheme often work on nationally important initiatives before returning to their parent services after completing their deputation.
About the Indian Revenue Service (Customs & Indirect Taxes)
Shri Bejoy John belongs to the 2008 batch of the Indian Revenue Service (Customs & Indirect Taxes). The IRS (C&IT) is one of India’s premier organised Group ‘A’ Central Civil Services and functions under the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) within the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance.
Officers of the service are responsible for administering customs laws, Goods and Services Tax (GST), indirect tax collection, anti-smuggling operations, trade facilitation and revenue administration.
Their experience in financial regulation, taxation and public administration often equips them for senior policy assignments across different ministries under the Central Staffing Scheme.
Importance of Cross-Ministry Appointments
Appointments such as that of Bejoy John demonstrate the flexibility of the Central Staffing Scheme in deploying experienced officers wherever administrative expertise is required.
Although officers belong to specialised services, they frequently take up assignments outside their parent departments, bringing diverse perspectives and administrative experience to different sectors of governance.
Such cross-sector postings strengthen institutional coordination and promote knowledge sharing across ministries while ensuring that government departments benefit from officers with varied professional backgrounds.
Strengthening Administrative Capacity
The appointment of Shri Bejoy John to the Department of Higher Education is expected to further strengthen the department’s administrative leadership as it continues to oversee major reforms and initiatives in India’s higher education ecosystem.
With his remaining deputation tenure extending until January 23, 2028, the experienced IRS officer will contribute to policy execution, programme management and administrative coordination within one of the Government of India’s most significant education departments.
The latest appointment also reflects the Centre’s continued emphasis on deploying capable civil servants to strategic assignments through the Central Staffing Scheme, ensuring continuity, administrative efficiency and effective governance across ministries.
