Altogether 11 Secretaries in the Government of India will retire this year. The first vacancy will arise in March.

Tenure of Chief Secretary Ravi Kota  has been extended .The extension of 1993 batch IAS officer Ravi Kota  will be effective from May 1 to October 31, 2026.

As many as 12 candidates have been shortlisted for the post of Chairman & Managing Director, Western Coalfields Limited and the candidates will be interviewed on February 13, 2026.

The Government of India has started searching for a candidate for the post of Chairman-cum-Managing Director, Troop Comforts Limited. The tenure of incumbent Sunil Date is coming to an end in September this year.

Ashish Yadav has been appointed as Director, 8th Central Pay Commission (CPC). He is a 2012 batch IDAS officer.

The Supreme Court Collegium has recommended the appointment of five retired Judges as ad hoc Judges of the Allahabad High Court for a period of two years under Article 224-A of the Constitution of India. They are: Justice Mohd. Faiz Alam Khan, Justice Mohd. Aslam, Justice Syed Aftab Husain Rizvi, Justice Renu Agarwal, and Justice Jyotsna Sharma.

Shelesh Nawal, Deputy Director (Sr), Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Mussoorie, has been given premature repatriation to his parent cadre to avail the benefit of promotion in the cadre. He is a 2010 batch IAS officer of Maharashtra cadre.

The post of Asif Ismail has been upgraded as Director in the Department of Economic Affairs. He is a 2012 batch IOFS officer.

The post of Prabhat Shrivastava has been upgraded as Director, Cabinet Secretariat. He is a 2012 batch IOFS officer.

The post of Minhaz Ahmad has been upgraded as Director in the Ministry of Labour & Employment. He is a 2012 batch IOFS officer.

The post of Amrendra Kishore Singh has been upgraded as Director in the Ministry of Heavy Industries. He is a 2012 batch IOFS officer.

V Srinivas, Chief Secretary, Rajasthan, will also handle charge of Chairperson, Rajasthan River Basin and Water Resources Planning Authority, Jaipur. He is a 1989 batch IAS officer of Rajasthan cadre.

Six IAS officers have been given new responsibilities in Haryana. Ravi Prakash Gupta, Commissioner, Hisar Division, will also hold charge of Secretary, Urban Estate Department, while Anshaj Singh, Director General and Secretary, Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Department, has been given additional charge as Advisor, Civil Aviation and Secretary, Civil Aviation Department. Similarly, Vikram has been appointed as Managing Director, Haryana Minerals Limited (HML), New Delhi and will continue as MD, DHBVN; Virender Lather, District Municipal Commissioner, Ambala and Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Ambala, will hold charge of Special Secretary, Grievances Department, in addition to his existing duties; Sachin Gupta, Deputy Commissioner, Rohtak, also gets charge of posts of Additional Secretary, Haryana, Irrigation & Water Resources Department and MD, HSMITC and Aparajita, Deputy Commissioner, Kaithal, was assigned additional charge of Additional Secretary and Director, Information Technology, Electronics & Communication Department.

The DoT has promoted 3 IP&TAFS officers to SAG. Accordingly, Manjjet Singh will join as DDG-NCA-F, Divya AB has been posted at the DoT and  Minakshi Verma will join as GM, Finance in Patna.

After promotion to HAG, Ms Shikha Mathu Kumar has joined as Addl CGDA at the HQ. She is an IP & TAFS officer.

Kumar Sanjay Bariar has been transferred from Mumbai to Delhi and posted as  DDG(LFA) at the DoT HQ. He is an IP&TAFS officer.

Consequent upon repatriation from Cabinet Secretariat, Nitin Chayande has joined the DoT HQ in HAG grade. He is an ITS officer.

The Union Budget 2026-27’s ₹2.78 lakh crore allocation to Indian Railways marks a significant escalation from previous years, signalling the government’s push to modernise a network that serves 25 million daily passengers amid growing urbanisation and economic demands. This 15-20% hike over last year’s outlay prioritises infrastructure upgrades, potentially accelerating GDP growth through better logistics and connectivity, though execution challenges like land acquisition and cost overruns remain key risks. 

Regionally, the budget addresses uneven development: Maharashtra’s ₹24,000 crore and Uttar Pradesh’s over ₹20,000 crore target high-speed corridors, reducing travel times in populous industrial hubs and boosting commuter efficiency. Southern states like Tamil Nadu (₹7,611 crore) gain from new bullet trains, which could enhance tourism and business links, while Kerala’s ₹3,795 crore focuses on coastal routes to integrate remote areas. In the Northeast, ₹11,486 crore, including a 40-km underground track, strengthens strategic ties to mainland India, vital for security and economic inclusion amid terrain difficulties. 

Passenger-centric elements—expanded Vande Bharat services, electrification (aiming for net-zero goals), and safety tech—tackle persistent issues like accidents and overcrowding. For Madhya Pradesh, the ₹18,036 crore Indore-Manmad line connects 30 lakh people via 309 km of tracks and metro expansions in Bhopal and Indore, fostering local job creation and urban mobility. Overall, this blueprint could transform rail travel, but success hinges on transparent implementation and equitable fund utilisation to avoid regional disparities.

 Post-Republic Day, the Army’s “Operation Sindoor” (a simulated multi-domain exercise) was highlighted, leading to structural reforms like the Bhairav Commando Battalion for precision warfare. This signals a shift from manpower-intensive to tech-centric doctrines, with whispers of 1,800 new tanks and 700 robotic counter-IED systems by 2026.

Sharmistha Koul Sharma, Director (Human Resources), appears to be a board level contender for the post of Chairman & Managing Director, India Optel Limited.

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) Ltd has advertised three posts of General Manager (Signalling and Telecommunication. Applications must reach latest by February 20, 2026. Interviews of shortlisted candidates will be held tentatively in the second week of March 2026.

Union Public Service Commission will be conducting the Engineering Services (Preliminary) Examination, 2026 on February 8, 2026 (Sunday) all over India. The Commission has uploaded the e- Admit Cards of the admitted candidates on its website (https://upsconline.nic.in).

Centre for Military Airworthiness & Certification (CEMILAC), Bengaluru is seeking to appoint Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) with expertise in Aeronautical Engineering. Details can be availed from DRDO website.

Post of Director (Technical), Bharat Coking Coal Limited has been lying vacant since September, 2025. Applications must reach latest by February 17, 2026.

Post of Managing Director, Central Cottage Industries Corporation of India Limited has been lying vacant since March 28, 2025. Applications must reach latest by February 17, 2026.

Consequent upon repatriation from Central Deputation, Dr Madhu Sharma has reported to cadre on January 27, 2026. She has been posted as Senior Deputy Controller General of Accounts, O/o CGA, New Delhi. She is a 2011 batch ICAS officer.

Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service (SSIFS) is seeking to appoint a Consultant-Course Coordinator on contract basis. Applications can be emailed at us.ssifs@mea.gov.in latest by February 18, 2026.

Ashutosh Singh, Deputy Controller of Accounts, Ministry of Home Affairs, New Delhi, has been attached with Office of Controller General of Accounts of India, New Delhi till March 1, 2026. The officer's presence is required in the O/o Controller General of Accounts of India (O/o CGA) for carrying out specific tasks. However, the officer will continue to perform his regular duties in the Ministry of Home Affairs. He is a 2017 batch ICAS officer.

Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) has invited applications for the post of Deputy Director (Finance & Accounts) on deputation basis. Applications must reach latest by March 15, 2026. Details can be availed from the website www.iwai.nic.in.

Madan Lal Meena, Dr Sarat Kumar Acharya and R Mukundan have been empanelled for appointment as IEMs. All three are from Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL).

Pradeep Kumar, Dr Atanu Purkayastha and Ganesh Vishwakarma have been empanelled for appointment as IEMs. All three are from Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL).

World Bank has advertised the post of Associate Infrastructure Engineer for Chennai. Applications must reach latest by February 24, 2026.

Jai Bhagwan Singh, formerly Deputy Financial Adviser & Chief Accounts Officer (Pension), Northern Railway, has been appointed on deputation to Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) as Joint General Manager (Finance) at Chandigarh with effect from December 31, 2025, up to his superannuation on November 30, 2029. He is an Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS) officer.

Susanta Sarkar, who is presently serving as Principal Chief Signal & Telecommunication Engineer (PCSTE), Metro Railway, Kolkata, has been entrusted with additional charge of the post of Director (RS&T), Kolkata Metro Railway Corporation Limited (KMRCL), in addition to his own, till the completion of the project or till his superannuation. He is an Indian Railway Service of Signal Engineers (IRSSE) officer.

Tarun Kumar Goyal, Member (Planning), Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA), has been pre-maturely repatriated with effect from February 28, 2026.

Manoj Garg, Vice Chairman, Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA), has been entrusted with additional charge of the post of Member (Planning), RLDA with effect from February 28, 2026.

Prem Shankar Jha, who is presently posted in Northern Railway (NR), has been posted as Additional Divisional Railway Manager (ADRM), Moradabad (MB), on the Railway itself. He is an Indian Railway Stores Service (IRSS) officer.

Dhananjay Kumar Singh, who is presently posted in North Central Railway (NCR), has been posted as Additional Divisional Railway Manager (ADRM), Prayagraj (PRYG), on the Railway itself. He is an Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers (IRSME) officer.

Ankur Chauhan, who is presently serving as Additional Divisional Railway Manager (ADRM), Chennai Central (MAS), Southern Railway (SR), has been granted extension in his tenure for a further period of one year. He is an Indian Railway Stores Service (IRSS) officer.

Ms Maneesha Goel, who is presently serving as Additional Divisional Railway Manager (ADRM), Kharagpur (KGP), South Eastern Railway (SER), has been granted extension in her tenure for a further period of one year. She is an Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers (IRSME) officer.

Paul Enoch Edwin, who is presently serving as Additional Divisional Railway Manager (ADRM), Vijayawada (BZA), South Central Railway (SCR), has been granted extension in his tenure for a further period of one year. He is an Indian Railway Service of Signal Engineers (IRSE) officer.

Srinivasa Rao Konda, who is presently serving as Additional Divisional Railway Manager (ADRM), Vijayawada (BZA), South Central Railway (SCR), has been granted extension in his tenure for a further period of one year. He is an Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers (IRSEE) officer.

Ishita Bhatia, a 2024 batch IPS officer from the Uttarakhand cadre, has now been allocated to the Madhya Pradesh cadre  on the grounds of her marriage to Himanshu Tyagi, a 2022 batch IFoS officer from the Madhya Pradesh cadre.

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and NBCC (India) Limited formalised the signing of a Supplementary Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 30.01.2026 to extend the original agreement under which NBCC continues as the Project Management Consultant (PMC) for the development of Bharat Vandana Park, Sector-20, Dwarka.

Under the extended arrangement, NBCC has also been entrusted with interim operations and maintenance (O&M) responsibilities, including the selection and onboarding of a dedicated O&M agency, to ensure smooth and efficient functioning of the park during its phased opening to the public. NBCC will provide comprehensive implementation support for the initial two years post onboarding, which will include a one-year defect liability period, ensuring quality, safety and sustainability of assets.

The supplementary MoU underscores the shared vision of DDA and NBCC to deliver a landmark urban green space with enhanced visitor amenities, robust safety arrangements and efficient operational management. The continued collaboration reflects a strong institutional commitment towards timely completion of the remaining development works and maintaining high standards of public infrastructure.

Bharat Vandana Park is envisioned as a unique recreational and cultural destination, celebrating India’s diversity while offering a world-class experience to citizens and visitors alike. The renewed partnership between DDA and NBCC marks a significant step towards realising this vision and ensuring the park’s long-term operational excellence.

Ashutosh Singh is temporarily attached with the office of Controller General of Accounts, New Delhi, till March 1 2026 for carrying out specific tasks. He is a 2017 batch ICAS officer.

Four IAS officers have been given new responsibilities in W Bengal. Dr Krishna Gupta, ACS, Cooperation Department, will also handle charge of ACS, Irrigation and Waterways, while Manish Jain joins as Additional Chief Secretary, Forest Department. Similarly, Binod Kumar, ACS, School Education with additional charges of ACS, Higher Education and State Editor, West Bengal District Gazetteers, will handle the charge of ACS, Mass Education Extension and Library Services Department in addition to his existing duties and Sanjay Bansal. Secretary, Backward Classes Welfare Department, was assigned additional charges of Secretary, Water Resources Investigation & Development Department and Project Director ADMI Project.

ANNAM.AI, the AI-in-agriculture Centre of Excellence at Indian Institute of Technology Ropar, has launched 'Farmers' Friday', a pioneering structured engagement initiative designed to strengthen regular interaction between farmers, agricultural researchers, and digital advisory systems.

Supported by the Ministry of Education and spearheaded under the guidance of Prof. Rajeev Ahuja, Director, IIT Ropar, the initiative was formally launched through two foundational engagements—a campus-based interaction at IIT Ropar, followed by a village-level session at Belli village in Rupnagar district.

The initiative represents a paradigm shift in agricultural technology development by placing farmers at the centre of digital agriculture research and advisory system design. Unlike conventional top-down approaches, Farmers' Friday is built on the principle of listening to farmers first, understanding their immediate and long-term challenges, and using these insights to inform the development of responsible, field-tested digital solutions.

Participatory Framework Ensures Ground-Level Relevance

Each Farmers' Friday interaction follows a carefully structured participatory format. Sessions begin with open discussions where farmers articulate challenges they face across the agricultural ecosystem—from soil and water management to crop cycles, pest and disease incidence, weather variability, and market-linked decision-making. These discussions are designed to assess how timely, localised advisory inputs can support informed farm-level decisions.

The inaugural campus interaction witnessed participation from over 40 progressive farmers, alongside researchers and officials from the State Agriculture Department, including Agriculture Development Officers Dr. Baljit Singh and Dr. Riya. Sarpanches and progressive farmers shared experiences related to soil behaviour, weather patterns, crop cycles, pest management, and market dynamics, underscoring the critical importance of anchoring technology development in lived agricultural experience.

Village-Level Engagement Provides Context-Specific Insights

The village-level interaction at Belli brought together over 60 farmers who discussed day-to-day agricultural practices and emerging challenges related to soil health, water availability, seed quality, crop diseases, climate uncertainty, and livelihood sustainability. The session provided valuable insights into village-specific contexts and adaptive strategies currently being adopted by farming communities.

During the engagement, ANNAM.AI demonstrated its digital advisory platform, ACE (Agri Chat Engine), allowing farmers to interact with the system in their preferred languages. The platform generates crop-, soil-, and weather-related advisories tailored to local conditions. Farmer feedback highlighted the importance of clarity, localisation, and trust in digital advisory systems, with particular appreciation for the platform's practice of supporting each advisory with proper and credible sources.

Sustained Institutional Linkage for Long-Term Impact

Moving forward, Farmers' Friday interactions will be held regularly both on the IIT Ropar campus and in villages across the region. The framework is designed to establish sustained linkages between farmers and research institutions, ensuring that the development of digital advisory solutions remains responsive to field realities and farmer needs.

"Farmers' Friday represents our commitment to ensuring that digital agriculture innovation is not just technologically advanced, but fundamentally farmer-centric and grounded in real field conditions," the ANNAM.AI team stated. "By creating a recurring platform for dialogue, we aim to build agricultural advisory systems that complement and enhance farmers' own knowledge and experience."

Bionique Lab appoints Andy Bailey as President: Bionique Testing Laboratories appointed Andy Bailey as President and Chief Executive Officer on January 31, 2026, focusing on mycoplasma and biosafety testing services, which has a growing presence in India’s life sciences sector. 
 
Reliance Retail promotes J Venugopal to President: Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd. promoted Jeyandran Venugopal to President & CEO, signaling continued expansion in India’s retail space.

Atul Aggarwal has been re-appointed as Managing Director of Sterling Tools Limited with effect from April 1, 2026.

Anil Aggarwal has been re-appointed as Chairman and Whole Time Director of Sterling Tools Limited with effect from April 1, 2026.

Nikhil Sawhney has been re-appointed as Managing Director, designated as Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of Triveni Turbine Limited.

Jose Joseph Kattoor has been appointed as Non-Executive Part-Time Chairman (Independent Director) of South Indian Bank Limited.

Rohit Rishi has been appointed as Managing Director of India Infrastructure Finance Company Limited (IIFCL).

Aseem Dhru has been re-designated as Executive Vice-Chairman of SBFC Finance Limited.

Ms. Reshma Suresh Patel has been re-appointed as Non-Executive Independent Director of Shri Dinesh Mills Limited.

Dr. Pradnya Saravade has been appointed as Additional Independent Woman Director of Rubicon Research Limited.

Nitesh Singh has been re-appointed as Non-Executive Independent Director of Onelife Capital Advisors Limited.

Dr. Ranu Jain has been re-appointed as Non-Executive Independent Director of Onelife Capital Advisors Limited.

Dharmendra Kumar Jain has been appointed as Additional Director designated as Independent Director of Artemis Electricals and Projects Limited.

Ish Sadana has been appointed as Additional Non-Executive Independent Director of Finelistings Technologies Limited with effect from 3 February 2026.

Ms. Aruna Rao has been re-appointed as Non-Executive Independent Director of Protean eGov Technologies.

Sudeep Saxena has been appointed as Non-Executive Independent Director of Indian Sucrose Limited.

Rohit Rishi ceased to hold office as Executive Director of Bank of Maharashtra on February 3, 2026.

Rohitkumar Parikh has resigned from the position of Managing Director and Director of Saptak Chem and Business Limited.

Ms. Drashtiben Prafulbhai Dedaniya has resigned from the position of Director of Finelistings Technologies Limited.

Anand Agarwal has resigned from the position of Non-Executive Director of Rubicon Research Limited.

Reservation 

It is a matter requiring sober thought that reservations in education and public services are now in excess of 60% (in addition, reservations in politics are at 22.5% for SC/ST and also for OBCs in local self government institutions). No society that places no emphasis on merit can survive, what to say of growing. Reservations began for SC/STs for 10 years capped at 22.5%. There was a caveat then, that efficiency of administration should not be imperilled. Today, with the country awash in reservations without any time limit, and each political party willing to increase it both in proportion and prolong it to perpetuity, after 78 years of independence, whatever has happened to efficiency of administration? Everyone agrees that administrative efficiency has declined over the years and decades. In the rat race to give more and more reservations, education and governance have been given the short shrift. How can a country where caste determines career become a developed country? Once India became independent and the Constitution came into force, equality was mandated. A helping hand to the deprived has become a depriving hand today. At this rate, can we ever compete with China and the rest of the world? Instead of world class, we are becoming less and less competitive every day. If merit and hard work are relegated behind caste, what future do we have as a country? The time has come to think of phasing out reservations. Those who have availed of the benefit once, they should not get the benefit again. Why should someone get the benefit of becoming a doctor through reservations and then go on to join the IAS through quota? Those who have got the benefit, their children should not get the benefit. This will broad base reservations and benefit more and more candidates also.

Vijay Kumar

SCN to PIO (IIM) for imposing penalty for declining information about the SC /ST Professors

The appellant sought information about the SC and ST Professors currently employed at IIM Ranchi, the vacancy position, the special recruitment drives etc. which did not result into any response from the PIO. The Respondent submitted that the RTI application was forwarded to Mr. Amit Kumar, (HR), subsequently, reminders were also sent but no response had been received from him. Upon receipt of hearing notice, the information was collected from the concerned office and uploaded on the Commission’s weblink. The CIC noted that the respondent has not responded to the RTI application in spite of over 1½ years having elapsed. The reply uploaded on Commission’s web portal has not provided to the appellant. The CIC noted that the PIO has not been made any efforts to furnish a response to the appellant even upon receipt of hearing notice and he failed to explain the cogent reasons for the same. The CIC issued a Show-cause notice to PIO, Mr. Rajasekhar David, Assistant Professor, as to why action under Section 20(1) of the RTI Act should not be initiated against him for not responding to the RTI application within stipulated time.

Comments

It is disquieting that instances continue to arise where the CIC has no option but to issue show-cause notices to PIOs for neglecting to respond to RTI applications within the statutory timeframe, thereby inviting penal action under Section 20(1) of the RTI Act. If the case pertains to a premier management institute, one wonders whether it is a case of lack if awareness of the provisions of the RTI Act.

Citation: Raju Paswan v. Indian Institute of Management Ranchi, Second Appeal No. CIC/IIMRC/A/2024/643443; Date of Decision: 14.10.2025

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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