The central government appointed Ajay Kumar Arora to the post of Joint Secretary (Arbitration & Conciliation) in the Department of Legal Affairs through Lateral Recruitment. In this new role, Arora will hold the distinction of being the inaugural Joint Secretary (Arbitration & Conciliation) as part of the lateral recruitment initiative within the Ministry of Law and Justice.
The announcement of his appointment came after receiving clearance from the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The decision was based on recommendations from the Union Public Service Commission.
For the single Joint Secretary (Arbitration & Conciliation) position, a total of 20 candidates were interviewed, and Ajay Kumar Arora was recommended for the role.
Prior to this appointment, Arora served as the Deputy General Manager at the National Hydro-electric Power Corporation (NHPC) Ltd, a Public Sector Undertaking, where he garnered acclaim for his outstanding performance in arbitration, securing numerous zero awards for NHPC. His exceptional contributions earned him the Exemplary Service Award from the Minister of Power, RK Singh, in 2021.
The lateral recruitment of individuals like Arora is a key component of the Modi government’s strategic initiative to integrate private sector expertise and perspectives into the governmental machinery. This approach aims to enhance the ease of governance and improve administrative efficiency. Lateral entrants, since their introduction, have played a crucial role in policy formulation within the Modi government.
