The Union Government has appointed Naresh Pal Gangwar as the new Secretary, Department of Higher Education, as part of a significant Secretary-level bureaucratic reshuffle approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC). The move marks a leadership transition in one of the Ministry of Education’s most important departments.
A 1994-batch IAS officer of the Rajasthan cadre, Gangwar takes over from Vineet Joshi, who has been appointed as Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj. Joshi, a 1992-batch IAS officer of the Manipur cadre, succeeds Vivek Bhardwaj, who is set to retire on 31 July 2026.
The appointments were announced through a notification issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on 23 July 2026.
Alongside Gangwar’s appointment, the Centre has also named T.K. Anil Kumar, a 1995-batch IAS officer of the Karnataka cadre, as the new Secretary, Department of School Education & Literacy. Before assuming this role, he served as Additional Secretary in the Department of Rural Development.
With these appointments, both key departments under the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and School Education & Literacy will now function under new administrative leadership.
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The Department of Higher Education is responsible for formulating policies related to central universities, the University Grants Commission (UGC), Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), National Institutes of Technology (NITs) and other institutions of higher learning. The Department of School Education & Literacy oversees school education, teacher education, literacy programmes and the implementation of major national education initiatives.
Who is Naresh Pal Gangwar?
Naresh Pal Gangwar has an academic background in engineering and economics. He earned a BTech in Electronics and Communication from the University of Roorkee, an MTech in Communication from IIT Delhi, and later completed an MA in Economics from the University of Rajasthan.
Over nearly three decades in public service, Gangwar has held several senior administrative positions in both the Rajasthan government and the Central government. His earlier assignments include serving as Principal Secretary in Rajasthan and Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, where he handled matters related to pollution control and hazardous substances management.
Most recently, he served as Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying before being entrusted with the Higher Education portfolio.
Leadership Changes Amid Key Developments in Education
The appointments come at a time when the Ministry of Education has been under increased public attention following the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak and the nationwide discussions surrounding examination reforms.
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However, the official ACC order does not link these appointments to any specific development or controversy. The changes are part of a wider Secretary-level administrative reshuffle across several ministries aimed at strengthening governance and administrative efficiency.
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