REC Limited, a Maharatna Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of Power and a leading NBFC, proudly emerged as a front-runner in legal and compliance excellence at the prestigious 7th Edition of the Future of Legal and Compliance Summit & Awards 2025, held on November 14, 2025.
Demonstrating its unwavering commitment to innovation and excellence in a progressive, tech-driven environment, REC secured top honours in three distinguished categories:
· Best Legal Technology Implementation of the Year
· Compliance Innovation of the Year
· Compliance Team of the Year
The accolades were received by REC’s representatives, Shri Dinesh Kaushik (GM), Shri Rajeshwar Valaboju (DGM) and Shri Chander Mohan Sharma (DGM), who accepted the awards on behalf of the organisation.
These recognitions further strengthen REC’s position as a thought leader in the legal and compliance domain, as the organisation continues to set new industry benchmarks through technology integration, strategic innovation, and robust governance frameworks.
The Union government is contemplating a move to restructure three PSU insurers—National Insurance, Oriental Insurance, and United India Insurance. But its options are strictly limited: either go for mergers or privatisation.
According to reports, several options are being weighed by the finance ministry that include merging two insurers with New India Assurance, merging all three, or consolidating only two while preparing the third for privatisation. If experts are to be believed, the government’s approach follows the same pattern as was used in the public-sector bank consolidation.
With the insurance sector now being fully open to 100% FDI, there is a huge pressure on these PSUs to modernise or perish, as global insurers are bound to expand aggressively in this country.
The hitch is, as per government sources, that the Centre wants to establish a structure that suits its policy of limiting the number of state-owned companies in non-strategic sectors to one or two, while retaining a minimum of four in strategic sectors. Needless to point out that the insurance sector falls under the non-strategic category.
The revival plan is not new, as it was first mooted in 2018. But nothing could be done in the wake of the three insurers facing mounting losses and weak solvency margins, forcing continued government support. The prime reason behind reopening this plan has been these PSUs’ intermittent quarterly profits in FY25.
As a source points out, this time the debate is more pragmatic, as the focus is on what is feasible to achieve.
The Rajasthan government on Sunday (November 16, 2025) appointed senior IAS officer V Srinivas (IAS:1989:RJ) as the new Chief Secretary of the state. The Department of Personnel issued the appointment order following the relieving of outgoing Chief Secretary Sudhansh Pant (IAS:1991:RJ), who has proceeded to the Centre for his new assignment.
Srinivas, who has been on central deputation for the past seven years, was repatriated to the Rajasthan cadre on November 14 at the request of the state government. Until his repatriation, he was serving as Secretary, Pensions and Pensioners’ Welfare, Government of India.
He will assume charge as Chief Secretary and continue in the post until his superannuation in September 2026. In addition to heading the state bureaucracy, he has also been assigned the responsibilities of Chairman, Rajasthan State Mines and Minerals Ltd, and Principal Resident Commissioner of Rajasthan in New Delhi.
Srinivas has superseded only one officer in the seniority list to take over as Chief Secretary. He is currently the second-most senior IAS officer in the Rajasthan cadre after Subodh Agarwal (IAS:1988:RJ), who is set to retire in December and presently serves as Chairman, Rajasthan Financial Corporation.
The practice of rehabilitating retired bureaucrats continues in Uttar Pradesh, with its former chief secretary, Manoj Kumar Singh, being appointed as the first CEO of the State Transformation Commission. Singh is returning to the state government within four months of retirement in July. The commission, which came into existence in 2022, has been functioning without a CEO until now. Singh will be holding this post for three years.
The Transformation Commission, virtually a restructured version of the State Planning Commission, provides suggestions and guidelines to the government on development and utilisation of the state’s resources.
Similarly, another retired bureaucrat and former DGP, Prashant Kumar, is also believed to take over as the new chairperson of the Uttar Pradesh Education Service Selection Commission (UPESSC). Sources hint that there are strong possibilities of Kumar being appointed as UPESSC chairman. The commission, which was formed only in 2024, was chaired until Sept by Prof. Kirti Pandey. Pandey later suddenly resigned, sparking speculation that Kumar might replace her.
But what really gave credence to this speculation was the government’s move to bring in an amendment to the appointment criteria for the post of UPESSC chairman, reportedly aimed at paving the way for Kumar’s rehabilitation. The reason is clear: earlier, only a working or a retired IAS officer was eligible for the chairman’s post along with academics, but the amendment ensured that a non-IAS officer, working or retired at the Principal Secretary level, could also be eligible for the post. However, the official confirmation is yet to come regarding Kumar.
The news of senior Uttar Pradesh IAS officer Amod Kumar (IAS:1995:UP) taking VRS, six years before retirement, has caused a stir in the state bureaucracy. Speculations and discussions are doing rounds in the corridors of power, though; Kumar has cited personal reasons for his VRS decision.He was due to retire in 2031.
What has fuelled speculation is the fact that Kumar had recently returned from central deputation. In fact, his return from central deputation to his home cadre had been cleared by the state government. Kumar had requested to return to Uttar Pradesh due to family reasons, but now, this news is surfacing to fox many.
His VRS has been approved by the state government. A 1995 batch IAS officer, Kumar has extensive bureaucratic experience while serving in both the central and state governments. He made the headlines after former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav picked himas the secretary during his Samajwadi Party regime in government.
Former Kerala Chief Secretary K. Jayakumar took charge as the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president in the presence of Devaswom Minister V.N. Vasavan on Saturday. It marks a complete departure from the past when political appointees used to occupy the TDB’s leadership roles.
A special function was organised for this purpose at the TDB headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram. Former Forest Minister and veteran CPI leader K. Raju was also sworn in as a board member.
The board is constituted for two years.
Jayakumar’s appointment occupies special significance, as it has come at a time when the government is facing widespread criticism in the wake of the alleged gold theft at the Sabarimala temple.
Jayakumar’s extensive experience in Sabarimala administration is expected to help restore public confidence. His experience includes his service as Devaswom Secretary, Chief Devaswom Commissioner, and Chairman of the High Court-appointed high-powered committee on Sabarimala.
Speaking on the occasion, the TDB president said that the new governing committee would try to live up to the expectations of devotees, describing his appointment as the call of the time.
In an extraordinary turn of events, Sujit Kumar (IRS-IT:2001) has achieved a rare career transformation—from senior bureaucrat to Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) in Bihar—in just 51 days, a development that has gripped both the bureaucratic fraternity and the political class. His swift rise is widely viewed as a sign of strong backing from the highest levels of political leadership in Delhi, without which such rapid movement of empanelment approvals, VRS processing, and political coordination would have been nearly impossible. Kumar, who served as Principal Commissioner (OSD), Appeal Unit-II, Delhi until September 25, 2025, is now the BJP MLA from the Gaura Bauram assembly seat in Darbhanga district, having defeated the RJD candidate.
The speed and sequence of developments have sparked intense curiosity about him in the corridors of power. On September 23, Legendofficers.com had exclusively reported a landmark empanelment in which 20 IRS-IT officers of the 2001 batch were promoted to Level 15 of the Pay Matrix (₹1,82,200–₹2,24,100)—a grade that even many 2001-batch IAS officers are yet to attain. This unprecedented and exceptionally fast empanelment was pushed through because Sujit Kumar was preparing to seek voluntary retirement to enter electoral politics. To ensure his case moved without delay, intervention at the highest political levels was required to clear the promotion file across multiple offices. As a result, CBDT issued the empanelment list on September 13, which included 45 IRS-IT officers—20 of them from the 2001 batch, including Sujit Kumar—and by September 23 they were issued postings corresponding to their upgraded grade.
The real sprint began soon after. On September 25, 2025, Sujit Kumar applied for voluntary retirement (VRS), and in an extraordinary departure from the standard three-month notice rule, the President of India approved his request within just 15 days, on October 10. He joined the BJP on October 13, and within 24 hours—on October 14—he was declared the party’s candidate from the Gaura Bauram assembly seat. He filed his nomination the very next day, voting took place on November 6 in the first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections, and on November 14, he was declared the winner.
With this, Sujit Kumar’s journey from bureaucrat to MLA is complete—unfolding so quickly that it has set off whispers in both Delhi and Bihar about the kind of support he enjoys and how smoothly everything worked out for him. And going by the talk in political circles, he may now even be in line for a ministerial post in the new Bihar government.
Bureaucrat Siddharth Mahajan (IAS:2003:RJ), currently on central deputation, is going to be repatriated to the Rajasthan cadre later this month. This could be made possible after the state government’s intervention and reminder to the Union Ministry of Personnel and Training for his early repatriation to his home cadre. But the state government could not get another IAS officer, Rohit Kumar’s (IAS:1997:RJ) repatriation, as the Centre declined to release Kumar.
Mahajan, known for his administrative acumen in Rajasthan bureaucracy, earlier served as secretary to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. He is currently posted as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Sources indicate that there is a strong possibility of Mahajan being posted in the CMO as Secretary. Notably, the post of Principal Secretary in the CMO has been lying vacant since June 2025, when Alok Gupta (IAS:1996:RJ) was shifted from the CMO to the Industries Department as Principal Secretary.
After the repatriation of V Srinivas (IAS:1989:RJ), Secretary, Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances and Department of Pensions & Pensioners’ Welfare, to his parent cadre Rajasthan, the Central Government has assigned additional charge of the post to Rachna Shah (IAS:1991:KL), currently serving as Secretary, Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT).
According to an order issued by the DoPT on Friday (November 14, 2025), the competent authority has approved her assignment to the post till the appointment of a regular incumbent.
Sudhansh Pant (IAS:1991:RJ) has been appointed as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the Cabinet Secretariat in the rank and pay of Secretary to the Government of India. According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Friday (November 14, 2025), the competent authority approved his appointment to the post of OSD until he formally assumes charge as Secretary, Department of Social Justice & Empowerment, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, succeeding Amit Yadav (IAS:1991:AGMUT) upon his superannuation on November 30, 2025.
Earlier, on November 10, the Central Government had recalled Sudhansh Pant from Rajasthan for central deputation, where he was serving as Chief Secretary, and appointed him as Secretary, Department of Social Justice & Empowerment, with effect from December 1, 2025.
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