The appointment of V. Srinivas (IAS:1989:Raj) as the new Chief Secretary seems to have pushed the Rajasthan bureaucracy into a phase of churning, as it may unleash a major change in the bureaucratic power structure in the state from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) to district administrations.
The appointment of Srinivas, who was on central deputation before being picked to head the state bureaucracy, has given a blow to the growing perception that this time around the state’s top bureaucratic post might go to an officer serving in Rajasthan. Thus, those lobbying for the top post are naturally crestfallen. Their consternation adds another aspect to the story.
The Legendofficers had reported that the Centre can surprise the lobbyists by sending a senior Rajasthan-cadre officer on central deputation to head the state bureaucracy. And this is exactly what has happened.
There were three names from the state bureaucracy doing the rounds: Abhay Kumar (IAS:1992:RJ), Additional Chief Secretary, Water Resources Department and State Water Resources Planning Department; Shikhar Agarwal (IAS:1993:RJ), Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister; and Akhil Arora (IAS:1993:RJ), Additional Chief Secretary, PHED.
Now the question arises as to why these three officers lost out in the race. The reason is now clear. Srinivas established a clear edge due to his close proximity to the central government, including his close ties to officers in the PMO. It sealed the fate of his rivals.
In terms of seniority also, Srinivas led the race, with his seniors, Subodh Agarwal, retiring on December 31, and Shubhra Singh in January 2026.
Another possible fallout being debated in the state bureaucratic circles is whether the aura of the officers posted in the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) will remain intact or weaken.
It is an open secret that Srinivas’s predecessor, Sudhansh Pant, reportedly opted for the central deputation 13 months ago due to his tensions with an IAS officer in the CMO. This was not all. During Pant’s tenure, reports of files being sent directly to the CMO, bypassing the Chief Secretary, also came to light.
So, the key issue bothering IAS officers now, is whether the arrival of Srinivas will redefine the balance of power by reducing the influence of CMO officers. There are currently four IAS officers in the CMO handling the Chief Minister’s work, led by ACS Shikhar Agarwal.
Further, experts believe that the new Chief Secretary may form his own team. If that happens, it would trigger a reshuffle among the top 10 IAS officers of the state. So the state bureaucracy is in for fresh surprises.
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