With the current Chief Secretary, K. Ramakrishna Rao (IAS:1991:TG), all set to retire on March 31, the speculation over the choice of a new CS has now begun in right earnest. As changes are about to take place at the top of the state bureaucracy, the name of senior IAS officer Jayesh Ranjan (IAS:1992:TG) emerges as the frontrunner. His vast experience and understanding of the government’s priorities make him the favourite choice for the top bureaucratic slot in the state.
Incumbent CS Ramakrishna Rao was originally scheduled to retire on August 30, 2025, but he was given an extension of another seven months, i.e., till March 31 this year. Hence, it is widely believed that he is unlikely to get another extension.
There are only two officers senior to Jayesh Ranjan in the state cadre—Shashank Goyal (IAS:1990:TG) and Arvind Kumar (IAS:1991:TG). Goel is a Special Chief Secretary, who is posted as Resident Commissioner of the Telangana Bhawan in New Delhi. Arvind Kumar, currently serving as Special Chief Secretary of the Revenue Department, has a formula race case pending against him, and hence his name is unlikely to be considered for the post. Another senior IAS officer in the race is Vikas Raj (IAS:1992:TG), currently posted as Special CS of the Transport department. Vikas Raj is junior to Ranjan.
Thus, among the senior officers under consideration for the CS post, Ranjan is widely viewed as the leading candidate, reflecting sustained confidence in his administrative experience and long association with the governance framework in the state.
An IIM Calcutta alumnus and a topper of the 1992 batch IAS, Ranjan is currently serving as Special Chief Secretary for the Metropolitan Area and Urban Development, overseeing urban governance within the HMDA limits. In addition to this key assignment, he holds several important additional charges, including Special Chief Secretary for Youth Advancement, Tourism and Culture, Special Chief Secretary for Sports, and Director of Archaeology. He is also a member of the National Pool of Trainers in Leadership, mentoring young civil servants across the country.
This is not all. Ranjan’s latest assignment is his appointment as Special Officer tasked to supervise transitional arrangements in all three municipal corporations that came into existence after the trifurcation of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) on Feb 11.
The authorities in the government are confident that Ranjan will get a chance to head the state bureaucracy, and the government is likely to make an official announcement about it soon.
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