Major ACC Reshuffle: Six Secretary-Level Appointments, Three New CBI Joint Directors
Aug 11th, 2026 7:24 am | By ThenewsmanofIndia.com | Category: TOP STORIES
By THE NEWSMAN OF INDIA.COM|The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved a significant reshuffle of senior IAS officers, involving six Secretary-level appointments across Corporate Affairs, Higher Education, Youth Affairs, Inland Waterways, Official Language and Water Resources. The ACC has also approved three appointments as Joint Directors in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the premature repatriation of an IAS officer serving as Private Secretary to the Vice President.
Pallavi Jain Govil appointed Corporate Affairs Secretary
Pallavi Jain Govil, IAS (MP:1994), Secretary, Department of Youth Affairs, has been appointed Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs. She will succeed Deepti Gaur Mukerjee.
Govil’s appointment marks a significant move from the Ministry of Youth Affairs to the corporate affairs portfolio at the Secretary level.
Deepti Gaur Mukerjee moves to Higher Education
Deepti Gaur Mukerjee, IAS (MP:1993), Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, has been appointed Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education.
She will succeed Vineet Joshi, who has been appointed Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj.
Sushil Kumar Lohani appointed IWAI Chairman
Sushil Kumar Lohani, IAS (OR:1995), Officer on Special Duty in the Cabinet Secretariat, has been appointed Chairman, Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), in the rank and pay of Secretary.
He will succeed Sunil Paliwal.
V. L. Kantha Rao moves to Official Language
V. L. Kantha Rao, IAS (MP:1992), Secretary, Department of Water Resources, has been appointed Officer on Special Duty, Department of Official Language.
Rao will subsequently take over as Secretary, Department of Official Language, following the superannuation of Ansuli Arya on September 30, 2026.
Archana Varma appointed Water Resources Secretary
Archana Varma, IAS (AM:1995), Mission Director, National Water Mission, has been appointed Secretary, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti.
She will succeed V. L. Kantha Rao.
Sunil Paliwal appointed Youth Affairs Secretary
Sunil Paliwal, IAS (TN:1993), Chairman, Inland Waterways Authority of India, has been appointed Secretary, Department of Youth Affairs, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
He will succeed Pallavi Jain Govil, who has been moved to the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
Three IPS officers appointed CBI Joint Directors
The ACC has also approved three appointments to the post of Joint Director in the Central Bureau of Investigation.
Akhilesh Kumar Singh, IPS (MH:2008), DIG, CBI, has been appointed Joint Director, CBI, vice Sudha Singh, IPS (OD:2006). His tenure will be effective from the date of assumption of charge and continue up to July 22, 2028, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
Satya Veer Singh, IPS (BH:2008), DIG, CBI, has been appointed Joint Director, CBI, vice Ashwin Shenvi, IPS (HY:2006). He will assume charge on or after September 7, 2026, and continue up to March 5, 2028, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
Anish Gupta, IPS (JH:2008), DIG, CBI, has been appointed Joint Director, CBI, vice Ramnish Geer, consequent upon his superannuation. Gupta will assume charge on or after October 1, 2026, and continue up to February 29, 2028, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
Chandrasekar S. to return to Kerala cadre
The ACC has approved the premature repatriation of Chandrasekar S., IAS (KL:2014), Private Secretary to the Vice President of India, C. P. Radhakrishnan, in the Vice President’s Secretariat, to his parent cadre.
The decision follows a request from the Government of Kerala through its communication dated June 18, 2026. His repatriation has been approved with the condition of “extended cooling-off”.
Chandrasekar S. is to be relieved of his duties immediately to report to his parent cadre.
The latest ACC decisions represent a wide-ranging restructuring of senior administrative responsibilities at the Centre, covering key economic, education, youth affairs, water resources, language policy, inland waterways and central investigative administration.
