Rajasthan’s latest reshuffle of 48 IAS officers has triggered intense discussion within the administrative fraternity, with three major developments emerging as particularly significant. Two of these moves are being closely linked to the series of events that culminated in former Chief Secretary Sudhansh Pant’s (IAS:1990:RJ) appointment as Union Secretary in the Department of Social Justice & Empowerment, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, on November 10, followed by V. Srinivas (IAS:1989:RJ) taking charge as the new Chief Secretary.
Akhil Arora takes charge of CMO, replacing Shikhar Agrawal
The most prominent change revolves around Shikhar Agrawal (IAS:1993:RJ). Agrawal, who had been serving as Additional Chief Secretary in the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), has been moved out and replaced by his batchmate Akhil Arora (IAS:1993:RJ). Arora will now head the CMO while retaining his current portfolios as ACS, PHED and Ground Water Departments.
Agrawal, meanwhile, has been assigned the charge of ACS, Industries and MSME Departments.
This shift in the CMO comes close on the heels of V. Srinivas taking over as Chief Secretary. The reported discord between former CS Sudhansh Pant and Shikhar Agrawal—particularly over transfer-related decisions and alleged bypassing of files—had become a talking point in the corridors of the state bureaucracy. Many believe this friction played a role in Pant’s decision to seek central deputation.
Alok Gupta shifted from Industries to Pollution Control Board
Another significant development involves Alok Gupta (IAS:1996:RJ). Gupta, who was serving as Principal Secretary for Industries and MSME, has been moved out of the Secretariat and appointed as Chairperson, Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board.
Notably, Gupta had served as Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister until June this year. He was considered to share strong professional alignment with former CS Pant. After his exit from the CMO, several officers felt that coordination between the CMO and the Chief Secretary’s office had weakened substantially.
With the present changes, both the Centre and the State leadership appear focused on restoring smooth administrative functioning—now under the stewardship of Chief Secretary V Srinivas.
Join Us on WhatsApp