Loknath Patel is a 2016 Batch Indian Forest Service Officer currently serving as DFO, Raipur Division.In this role,he is working on strengthening eco-tourism within forest area.

Speaking of- Mohrenga Nature Safari, Raipur is set to have new additions aimed at offering a more relaxed and recreational experience.“In a month or so,the inauguration will take place.” He shared 

A key part of the project is the creation of new tourist cottages, which will be managed through a development committee.Additionally a cheetah safari component is on the list, providing visitors an enhanced wildlife experience. 

Patel explained that visitors will have multiple options once the development is completed. “There will also be a place to stay. There is also a place to eat. We are setting up dining etc.” he stated, adding that recreational components are also being planned.“There is also a garden and recreational spaces for entertainment being developed.”

Home Secretary Govind Mohan, a 1989-batch Sikkim cadre IAS officer, completes his tenure on August 22, 2026. Who will succeed him? As of now, no clear successor has emerged, and indication point towards a possible one-year extension.

Insiders say that Peeyush Pandey will make it as DGP West Bengal. He is a 1993 batch IPS officer  of West Bengal cadre.

As many as 15 officers of Indian Administrative Service (IAS) of various batches are retiring in Madhya Pradesh cadre.

M. Nagaraju, IAS, Secretary of the Department of Financial Services (DFS), chaired a key review meeting on January 13, 2026, assessing FY25 and H1 FY26 performance of public sector insurance companies (PSICs) like LIC, NIACL, and others. Nagaraju directed insurers to prioritize profitable growth, lower loss ratios, and full digitalization for 100% retail onboarding, alongside innovative products for emerging risks and youth needs. His emphasis on timely grievance resolution, seamless claims, enhanced social media outreach, and customer-centric reforms underscores a strategic push for efficient, tech-driven interfaces that elevate service delivery and policyholder satisfaction.

Sripriya Ranganathan, a senior IFS officer, has taken over as Secretary for Consular, Passport, Visa, and Overseas Indian Affairs (CPV & OIA) at the Ministry of External Affairs. This role oversees diplomatic services related to the Indian diaspora and consular matters globally.

Amit Mohan Mittal has been relieved to join as CVO in the Directorate General of shipping (DGS), Mumbai under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways on deputation basis. He is an IRS-IT officer.

During German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s visit to Delhi, over 25 agreements were signed, including defence (German submarines for India), green hydrogen cooperation, manufacturing, skilled workforce mobility, and a Work Plan for India-Germany Digital Dialogue (2025–2027). This includes a new Track 1.5 Foreign Policy and Security Dialogue and a Bilateral Dialogue on Indo-Pacific.

With new US Ambassador Sergio Gor’s arrival, whispers suggest he could broker Modi-Trump talks, resolving issues via “soft and hard ways.” Predictions: Could ease communications or push Trump’s agenda faster, making ties “uglier.”

The IAF’s 2025 transformation (from importer to strategic power) is expected to continue into 2026 with focus on MRFA (114 fighter jets), AMCA engine partnerships, and Akash-NG deals. Whispers indicate early 2026 trials for Astra Mark-2 BVRAAM (200 km range).

Reports confirmed the Indian Army will receive 30 “Made in India” Switch hybrid tactical drones for LAC surveillance. Deal signed January 2025, deliveries by early 2026.

18 IRS(C&IT) Officers  have been promoted to the grade of Commissioner of Customs & Indirect Taxes against the panel year 2026 .  They have been asked  to   assume the charge of the promotional post on  in- situ (as is where is) basis.

Ms Zainab Sayeed has been relieved to join as Senior Manager at Deputy Secretary level, Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED), at Kolkata, West Bengal region. She is a 2015 batch IRS-C&IT officer.

Ankit Baraik has been posted as Assistant Controller of Accounts, Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC), Kolkata. He is a 2022 batch ICAS officer.

With the aim of advancing scalable clean energy solutions under the National Green Hydrogen Mission and implemented for the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) is inviting proposals for the implementation of Pilot Projects for Production of Green Hydrogen from Biomass-based and other innovative Technology-based Interventions. Proposal submission deadline is January 27, 2026.

Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA) has advertised the post of Joint General Manager for Chandigarh on deputation basis. Applications must reach latest by February 6, 2026.

Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways is seeking Consultant (Business Development) for Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), Regional Office, Varanasi on purely contract basis. Applications must reach latest by January 28, 2026. Details can be availed from https://iwai.nic.in/.

Last date to register for Global Conference on Women In Agri-Food Systems (GCWAS-2026), New Delhi is February 28, 2026. The event will be held from March 12-14.

Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) has invited applications from IRSE/ Civil Engineering Department officers for the posts of Additional General Manager-Civil for Bhopal. Details can be availed from www.rvnl.org.

Sports Authority of India (SAI) has invited applications for the post of Principal Sai Lakshmibai National College of Physical Education, Kariavattom, Thiruvananthapuram. Applications must reach latest by February 9, 2026.

National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (National Authority-CAMPA) is seeking Young Professional -Post Graduates (four each for Appraisal and management Team and National Monitoring and Evaluation Team) on contract basis. Applications must reach latest by January 1, 2026.

National Defence Academy & Naval Academy Examination will be held on April 12, 2026. Mathematics examination will be held in the morning from 10 am to 12.30 pm while the General Ability Test will be held in the afternoon from 2 pm to 4.30 pm. Details can be availed from https://upsc.gov.in/.

World Bank is seeking External Affairs Officer for Papua New Guinea. Applications must reach latest by January 26, 2026.

Anjum Pervez, who is presently serving as Director (Projects), National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), will continue to hold the additional charge of the post of Managing Director, National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), for a further period with effect from January 17, 2026, till September 30, 2026, or until a regular incumbent joins, whichever is earlier.

 

Manoj Kumar Gangeya, who is presently serving as Executive Director (Planning), Railway Board, has been appointed on deputation as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Coal for a tenure of five years. He is an Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS) officer.

 

Ateesh Kumar Singh, who is presently serving as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises on deputation, has been appointed on deputation as Additional Secretary in the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, for a combined tenure of seven years. He is an Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS) officer.

 

Praneet Choudhary, who is presently serving in South Eastern Railway (SER), has been appointed on deputation as Deputy Director General in the Directorate General of Shipping, Mumbai, under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, for a period of five years. He is an Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS) officer.

Kuldeep Singh, who is presently posted in Modern Coach Factory (MCF), has been transferred to Southern Railway (SR) and posted as Additional Divisional Railway Manager (ADRM), Palakkad. He is an Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers (IRSME) officer.

Ritwik Sharma, who is presently posted in North Western Railway (NWR), has been transferred to Western Railway (WR) and posted as Additional Divisional Railway Manager (ADRM), Bhavnagar Para. He is an Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers (IRSME) officer.

Harinder Pal Singh Ghotra has been appointed as Technical Member (State) in the Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunal (GSTAT) for the bench located in Punjab and Chandigarh.

Gainilung Panmei has been promoted to the post of Joint Secretary & Legislative Counsel (Grade-I of the Indian Legal Service).

A quiet fault line is emerging in the government’s pension reforms. While the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) has been rolled out as a major upgrade for Central Government employees under the National Pension System, employees of Central Statutory Bodies—who were mandatorily placed under the same NPS framework post-2004—have been left out, according to sources.

The irony is hard to miss. These statutory bodies are government-funded, function under statutory control, and adopted NPS strictly in line with Central Government instructions. Yet, when the NPS ecosystem was reformed through UPS—promising assured pensions and family security—the benefit stopped short of them. The result: two sets of employees under the same pension regime, treated very differently at the finish line.

Insiders point to the role of the Department of Financial Services and the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority, arguing that the exclusion defeats the very idea of parity and uniformity that justified NPS adoption in the first place. With retirement outcomes now left “to the mercy of the market,” the charge is clear—this is a case of a class being created within a class.

As the government positions itself as a champion of equity and employee welfare, bureaucratic circles say the ball is firmly in its court: extend UPS to statutory body employees, or explain why equal rules suddenly deserve unequal rewards.

President Droupadi Murmu accepted credentials from the Envoys of the United States of America, Trinidad & Tobago and Austria at a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Those who presented their credentials were: Chandradath Singh, High Commissioner of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago; Dr Robert Zischg, Ambassador of the Republic of Austria and Sergio Gor, Ambassador of the United States of America.

Four IAS officers have been given new postings in W Bengal. Dr Rashmi Kamal has been appointed as Director of Census Operations/Director of Citizen Registration, while Mrs Choten Dhendup Lama, PS, Tribal Development, will also handle charge of PS, Paschimanchal Unnayan Affairs Department and Binod Kumar will join as Additional Chief Secretary, School Education Department with additional charge of Higher Education Department and State Editor, West Bengal District Gazetteers. Besides, Chinmoy Dey is now Special Commissioner, GST, Durgapur.

Shalabh Mathur has been appointed as IG, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on deputation basis. He is a 2006 batch IPS officer of UP cadre.

Rajeev Mishra has been appointed as DIG, Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), on deputation basis. He is a 2010 batch IPS officer of Bihar cadre.

Daljeet Singh has been appointed as IG, Border Security Force (BSF), on deputation basis. He is a 2007 batch IPS officer of Bihar cadre.

The post of Dileep Kumar Rajput has been upgraded as Director in the Department of Health and Family Welfare. He is a 2012 batch IRSSE officer.

Satinder Pal Singh presently on central deputation has been promoted to the grade of Director General of Police (DGP) in Himachal Pradesh. He is a 1995 batch IPS officer of HP cadre.

N Venugopal presently on central deputation has been promoted to the grade of Director General of Police (DGP) in Himachal Pradesh. He is a 1995 batch IPS officer of HP cadre.

Ms Satwant Atwal Trivedi has been promoted to the grade of Director General of Police (DGP) in Himachal Pradesh. She is a 1996 batch IPS officer of HP cadre.

Ajay Kumar Yadav has been promoted to the grade of Director General of Police (DGP) in Himachal Pradesh. He is a 1996 batch IPS officer of HP cadre.

Justice Sujoy Paul, Judge of the Calcutta High Court, has been appointed as Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court.  

Praveen Kumar, DG, ITBP, has been appointed as Director General of Border Security Force (BSF). He is a 1993 batch IPS officer of West Bengal cadre.

Shatrujeet Singh Kapoor has been appointed as Director General, Indo-Tibetan Border Police(ITBP). He is a 1990 batch IPS officer of Haryana cadre.

Rakesh Aggarwal, SDG, NIA, has been appointed as Director General of National Investigation Agency (NIA). He is a 1994 batch IPS officer of HP cadre.

Anupam Anand has been appointed as Joint Secretary, IN-SPACe, Ahmedabad. He is a 2000 batch IAS officer of Gujarat cadre.

Aneesh Hegde has been appointed as Officer on Special Duty to V Somanna, MoS for Jal Shakti & Railways. He is a 2014 batch IRTS officer.

Ms Bhawna Gulati, Chief Accounts Officer (CAO), Delhi Development Authority (DDA), has been given premature repatriation to parent cadre. He is a 2011 batch IRS-IT officer.

The tenure of Bishnu Charan Mallick as Director of Census Operations has been extended for a period of three months beyond December 31, 2025. He is a 2007 batch IAS officer of Rajasthan cadre.

Hardwari Santoshkumar has been appointed as Managing Director of Typhoon Holdings Limited with effect from September 26, 2025.
 

Ms Shvetalben Sagarbhai Dataniya has been appointed as Independent Director of Typhoon Holdings Limited with effect from August 1, 2025.

Sharang Amar Sharma has been appointed as Managing Director of Mather and Platt Fire Systems Limited.

Nimeshkumar Gandhi, who is presently serving as Non-Executive Independent Director of Sayaji Hotels Limited, has been appointed as Chairman of the company with effect from January 23, 2026.

Tushar Rameshbhai Bhatt has been appointed as an Additional Non-Executive Independent Director of Panth Infinity Limited.

Umeshkumar Laxmidas Bhavsar has been appointed as an Additional Non-Executive Independent Director of Bajaj Healthcare Limited.

 

Akash Patel has been appointed as an Additional Non-Executive Independent Director of PAE Limited.

 

Ms. Bhargavi Gupta has been appointed as an Additional Non-Executive Independent Director of PAE Limited.

 

Mayank Kumar Sedani has been appointed as an Additional Non-Executive Independent Director of PAE Limited.

 

Nishant Sharma has been appointed as Whole-time Director of Alps Industries Limited.

 

Mrs. Kanakadhara Srinivasan has been appointed as an Additional Independent Director of Sagarsoft (India) Limited.

 

Abhay Chintaman Chaudhari has ceased to be Chairman and Independent Director of Sayaji Hotels Limited with effect from January 22, 2026, on completion of his tenure.

Pankaj Mahajan has ceased to be Non-Executive Independent Director of Winsome Yarns Limited on completion of his tenure.

 Great distortion of facts

Many people nowadays attribute the Constitution of India to Dr Ambedkar. This is especially so by those who avail of affirmative action benefits. This is a great distortion of facts. Dr Ambedkar was only the Chairman of the drafting Committee. The Constitution was the creation of the entire Constituent Assembly which debated each and every Article, word by word and agreed to pass the Constitution including the affirmative action provisions. When the President of the Assembly, Dr Rajendra Prasad is not given the credit for the Constitution, how can a person who was merely the Chairman of the drafting Committee be given the credit? Actually, Dr Ambedkar all his life rode on British shoulders. He was a Member of the Viceroy's Executive Council from 1942-46 when all the leading lights of the freedom struggle were being tortured in British jails. The British used him to avoid independence, just as they used the Muslim League and the princely states. Every freedom fighter was jailed by the British. Dr Ambedkar never spent a moment in British jails. How can someone who never opposed British rule, who never participated in the freedom struggle in any way, who welcomed British rule and openly allied with the British and enjoyed British office till the very advent of freedom, be the father of the Indian Constitution? It is a travesty of history that a narrative has been built around Dr Ambedkar being the father of the Indian Constitution. This was not so when Dr Ambedkar was alive. No one in those days gave him credit for either freedom or the Constitution because everybody knew the events fully, having lived through those days. It was only in the 90s when Sh Kanshi Ramji needed some new dalit idol that he created a narrative and resurrected Dr Ambedkar in this light. Babu Jagjivan Ram, the real leader of the dalits who spent years in British jails, today is forgotten and consigned to the dustbin of history, his sacrifices but a forgotten chapter in Indian history just as the contributions of the krantikaris were swept under the carpet to build up a Nehru narrative post independence.

Vijay Kumar

Assessment reports of the medical colleges to be uploaded on the official website of NMC

Appellant sought for the attested photocopy of the completed standard assessment (form A & B) for recognition of MBBS seats for the AY 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24, submitted by the Principal of the Kanti Devi Medical College Hospital and Research Center Mathura, UP. The appellant stated that the inspectors or assessors of the National Medical Commission physically visit the college campus to prepare the report, after checking whether the medical college has sufficient number of beds, faculty, nurses and infrastructure of hostels, library, lecture halls, playground and hospital. So, the report has all the relevant information crucial for the prospective MBBS students to decide their admission in a particular college. The assessors give their observations to the replies submitted by college authorities and upon preparation of the report, the assessors send one copy to the NMC and one to the College. Based on the observations and recommendations, the NMC decides whether or not to sanction the running of a medical college and grant permission for admissions for the academic year in which assessment is conducted. Hence, the assessment reports are crucial source of information, particularly for aspiring medical students who can verify the infrastructure and faculty of the medical colleges, whether a particular college is fulfilling the prescribed medical education norms or not to and make admission decisions. The Respondent stated that since Under Graduate Medical Board (UGMEB) is not the custodian of the information, the same was sought from concerned Board i.e. Medical Assessment & Rating Board (MARB) and it was intimated that during the said period MARB will not be able to furnish the Assessment Report under NMC Act, 2019. The CIC held that the information sought by the Appellant ought to be disclosed and placed in public domain. In the past that, the CIC has directed the National Medical Commission (NMC) to upload infrastructure, faculty and other related information in the form of the assessment reports of the medical colleges on its official website, nmc.org.in, considering the crucial nature of the information.

Comments

Availability of information about the infrastructure and faculty of the colleges helps an aspiring student to compare them to make admission decisions. Information regarding whether a particular college is fulfilling the prescribed education norms or not must be made public as it is essential for every student.

Citation: Shri. R B Gautam v. National Medical Commission, Second Appeal No. CIC/NMCOM/A/2023/669929; Date of Decision: 09.04.2024, 28.08.2025

Dr Anuradha Verma (dranuradhaverma@yahoo.co.in) is a RTI Consultant currently working with IIM Vishakhapatnam. She has co-authored the books PIO’s Guide to RTI and Right to Information – Law and Practice. Her weekly article is being published since 2008 on this site. She offers consultancy on RTI matters and third party audit to individuals / organisations. Her other articles can be read at the website of RTI Foundation at the link https://www.rtifoundationofindia.com

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