Deepti Gaur Mukerjee IAS: Deepti Gaur Mukerjee is a senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the 1993 batch from the Madhya Pradesh cadre. She has spent more than three decades in public service and has worked in several important areas of government. Her career includes district administration, education, urban development, health, corporate affairs and public policy.
She has worked in both the Madhya Pradesh Government and the Central Government. Over the years, she has served as a district collector, held senior positions in the state government and worked in important central ministries. She has also headed the National Health Authority (NHA) and served as Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
In the latest development, Deepti Gaur Mukerjee has been appointed Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Government of India. Her appointment was approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet in August 2026.
Deepti Gaur Mukerjee IAS Profile
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Deepti Gaur Mukerjee |
| Service | Indian Administrative Service |
| Batch | 1993 |
| Cadre | Madhya Pradesh |
| Recruitment | Direct Recruit |
| Domicile | Uttar Pradesh |
| Date of Birth | 3 February 1969 |
| Current Post | Secretary, Department of Higher Education |
| Ministry | Ministry of Education, Government of India |
| Pay Level | Level 17 |
| Previous Post | Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs |
| Major Previous Role | CEO, National Health Authority |
Current Posting of Deepti Gaur Mukerjee IAS
Deepti Gaur Mukerjee is currently serving as Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Government of India.
Her appointment came in August 2026 as part of a change in the senior bureaucratic appointments at the Centre. She took over the department after a change in the earlier arrangement involving the Higher Education Secretary.
Education of Deepti Gaur Mukerjee
Deepti Gaur Mukerjee has a strong academic background. She studied economics and later completed a course in public management and governance.
She holds an M.A. in Economics from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi. She also completed an M.Sc. in Public Management and Governance from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), United Kingdom.
Beginning of Her IAS Career
Deepti Gaur Mukerjee joined the Indian Administrative Service as a 1993-batch officer and was allotted the Madhya Pradesh cadre.
Like many IAS officers, she started her career with field-level administrative responsibilities. Her early assignments gave her direct experience of district administration and government programmes.
She served as an SDM and later worked in several positions in the Madhya Pradesh Government. She also served as a District Collector, where she was responsible for the overall administration of the district. She served as District Collector, Datia, and later as District Collector, Ratlam.
Work in Madhya Pradesh Government
After her early field postings, Deepti Gaur Mukerjee took up several senior responsibilities in the Madhya Pradesh Government.
Her work covered areas such as planning, finance, Panchayati Raj, urban development, education and general administration.
She also served as Director, Town and Country Planning and worked on development and planning-related matters.
Education became another important part of her career. She served as Commissioner and Director of the State Education Mission and later held senior responsibilities in the School Education Department of Madhya Pradesh.
Her experience in education at the state level later became particularly relevant when she was appointed to head the Department of Higher Education at the Centre.
Experience in the Central Government
Deepti Gaur Mukerjee has also held several important positions in the Government of India. She served as Director in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation. She was later appointed Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises.
One of the major assignments in her career was her role in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. She was appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Health Authority (NHA) in December 2023.
The National Health Authority is responsible for implementing major national health programmes, including Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY and the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission.
As NHA CEO, Mukerjee was responsible for an organisation that plays an important role in India’s public health system. In August 2024, the Government of India appointed Deepti Gaur Mukerjee as Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs. She succeeded Manoj Govil in the position.
After serving as Corporate Affairs Secretary, Deepti Gaur Mukerjee has now moved to the Department of Higher Education.
Major Areas of Experience
| Area | Major Experience |
|---|---|
| Education | State Education Mission, School Education |
| Higher Education | Secretary, Department of Higher Education |
| Health | CEO, National Health Authority |
| Corporate Affairs | Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs |
| Urban Development | Town & Country Planning, Housing Ministry |
| Heavy Industries | Joint Secretary |
| District Administration | District Collector, Datia and Ratlam |
| Planning & Finance | Senior positions in Madhya Pradesh |
| Public Administration | State and Central Government assignments |
Deepti Gaur Mukerjee IAS Career Timeline
| Period | Position |
|---|---|
| August 2026 – Present | Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education |
| 2024 – 2026 | Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs |
| 2023 – 2024 | CEO, National Health Authority |
| Earlier | Senior positions, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare |
| 2013 – 2015 | Joint Secretary, Ministry of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises |
| Earlier Central Posting | Director, Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation |
| Earlier | Senior positions in Madhya Pradesh Government |
| 2005 – 2006 | District Collector, Ratlam |
| 2002 – 2003 | District Collector, Datia |
| Early Career | SDM and other administrative positions in Madhya Pradesh |

















