Centre Appoints Naresh Pal Gangwar As Higher Education Secretary, Vineet Joshi Moved To Panchayati Raj Ministry
New Delhi: In a key bureaucratic reshuffle, the Centre has appointed senior IAS officer Naresh Pal Gangwar as the new Secretary of the Department of Higher Education. He replaces Vineet Joshi, who has been transferred to the Ministry of Panchayati Raj as Secretary after the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) cleared a series of senior level administrative changes.
Gangwar, a 1994 batch IAS officer, was previously serving as Secretary in the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying. Over the course of his career, he has held several important positions in both the Uttar Pradesh government and the Centre, earning a reputation for handling major administrative assignments. He now takes charge of one of the government’s most significant departments, which oversees higher education institutions and policy across the country.
His appointment comes at a time when the Ministry of Education is facing increased public attention. The department has been under the spotlight in recent months following the alleged NEET UG 2026 paper leak and the debate over reforms to India’s examination system. Although the government has not linked the transfer to these developments, the timing has naturally drawn attention.
Outgoing Higher Education Secretary Vineet Joshi, a 1992 batch IAS officer, has been appointed Secretary in the Ministry of Panchayati Raj. During his tenure in the Education Ministry, Joshi was closely involved in shaping higher education policy and also held additional responsibility as the acting Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC). Before that, he served as Chairman of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and Director General of the National Testing Agency (NTA), making him one of the country’s most experienced education administrators.
The latest appointments are part of a wider bureaucratic reshuffle announced by the Centre, with several secretary level officers being moved across ministries. The exercise is aimed at strengthening governance and ensuring continuity in key departments.
As he takes over the Higher Education Department, Gangwar is expected to oversee the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP), coordinate with higher education regulators, and steer reforms in the university sector. Restoring confidence in the country’s examination and admission system is also likely to remain a priority amid ongoing public scrutiny.
With the reshuffle taking immediate effect, all eyes will now be on how the new leadership navigates the challenges facing India’s higher education sector in the months ahead.
ALSO READ: PM Narendra Modi’s Late-Night Address : Cabinet To Discuss Stringent Paper Leak Bill Today