New Delhi: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has partially modified its Secretary-level appointment order issued on July 23, 2026, making changes involving six senior IAS officers.
According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Monday (August 10, 2026), the latest changes affect the assignments of Pallavi Jain Govil, Deepti Gaur Mukerjee, Sunil Paliwal, Sushil Kumar Lohani, V. L. Kantha Rao and Archana Varma.
The changes have resulted in a revised chain of postings across Corporate Affairs, Higher Education, Youth Affairs, Inland Waterways, Water Resources and Official Language.
Six officers get revised assignments
1. Pallavi Jain Govil (IAS:1994:MP), Secretary, Department of Youth Affairs, Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, has been appointed as Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, vice Deepti Gaur Mukerjee (IAS:1993:MP).
Govil had been appointed Secretary, Youth Affairs under the ACC’s July 23 order. Her latest appointment changes that earlier arrangement.
2. Deepti Gaur Mukerjee (IAS:1993:MP), Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, has been appointed as Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, vice Vineet Joshi (IAS:1992:MN).
Joshi had been appointed Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj under the July 23 order. The latest decision changes the earlier arrangement under which Naresh Pal Gangwar (IAS:1994:RJ) was to take over as Secretary, Higher Education.
3. Sunil Paliwal (IAS:1993:TN), currently Chairman, Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), has been appointed as Secretary, Department of Youth Affairs, Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, vice Pallavi Jain Govil.
Paliwal has been serving as Chairman of IWAI since late 2025. The latest order therefore moves him from IWAI to Youth Affairs.
4. Sushil Kumar Lohani (IAS:1995:OR) has been appointed as Chairman, Inland Waterways Authority of India, in the rank and pay of Secretary to the Government of India. The post has been temporarily upgraded to Secretary level.
Lohani had been assigned a Secretary-level role in the Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying under the July 23 arrangement. The latest order changes that assignment and places him at IWAI.
5. VL Kantha Rao (IAS:1992:MP), Secretary, Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, has been appointed as Officer on Special Duty (OSD), Department of Official Language, Ministry of Home Affairs, in the rank and pay of Secretary to the Government of India.
He will take over as Secretary, Department of Official Language after the superannuation of Anshuli Arya (IAS:1989:BH) on September 30, 2026.
6. Archana Varma (IAS:1995:AM), Mission Director, National Water Mission, Ministry of Jal Shakti, has been appointed as Secretary, Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, vice V. L. Kantha Rao.
Under the July 23 arrangement, Varma was to subsequently take over as Secretary, Department of Official Language after the retirement of Anshuli Arya. The latest order changes that proposed assignment, with Rao now moving to Official Language and Varma taking over Water Resources.
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