In a significant administrative overhaul, the Centre has approved a series of high-level bureaucratic appointments, naming Vir Vikram Yadav as the new Director General of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and appointing Chanchal Kumar as Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
The appointments, cleared by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), are part of a broader effort to strengthen governance across key sectors, including aviation, education, and public administration.
Vir Vikram Yadav Takes Charge of DGCA
A 1996-batch IAS officer of the Odisha cadre, Vir Vikram Yadav succeeds Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, who has been reassigned as Additional Secretary in the Department of Personnel and Training.
Yadav previously served as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. His appointment comes at a crucial time when the aviation regulator has been under scrutiny due to operational disruptions and safety concerns, including recent issues involving IndiGo.
Chanchal Kumar Named I&B Secretary
Senior IAS officer Chanchal Kumar, a 1992-batch officer of the Bihar cadre, has been appointed Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. He replaces Sanjay Jaju, who has been moved to the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region.
Kumar brings extensive administrative experience, having previously served as Principal Secretary to Nitish Kumar.
Abhishek Singh Moves to NTA
Abhishek Singh, who led the India AI Mission, has been appointed Director General of the National Testing Agency (NTA), a secretary-level position under the Ministry of Education.
During his tenure in the Ministry of Electronics and IT, Singh played a key role in advancing India’s AI initiatives and overseeing the Digital India Bhashini programme.
Other Key Appointments
- Bhuvnesh Kumar appointed Secretary, Ministry of Tourism
- Rohit Kansal named Secretary, Rural Development
- Nivedita Shukla Verma moved to Administrative Reforms
- Tejveer Singh appointed Secretary, Chemicals & Petrochemicals
- Narendra Bhooshan appointed Secretary, Land Resources
Additionally, Gyanendra D Tripathi and N Gulzar were assigned senior roles in agricultural research and regional planning bodies, respectively.
Focus on Governance and Efficiency
The reshuffle reflects the government’s focus on strengthening institutional leadership and addressing challenges in critical sectors such as aviation safety, digital governance, and public service delivery.
