The Centre has appointed 1993-batch IAS officer Deepti Gaur Mukerjee as Secretary of the Department of Higher Education under the Ministry of Education. She will succeed Vineet Joshi, who has been shifted to the Ministry of Panchayati Raj.
The appointment was announced through an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Monday night. The latest order partially modifies the appointment decision issued on July 23, under which Naresh Pal Gangwar, a 1994-batch IAS officer from the Rajasthan cadre, was named for the position. Gangwar’s appointment was later kept in abeyance.
Deepti Gaur Mukerjee, an officer of the Madhya Pradesh cadre, moves to the Ministry of Education from the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, where she was serving as Secretary. Over her career, she has held several important administrative positions at both the state and central levels.
She holds a Master’s degree in Economics from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and an MSc in Public Management and Governance from the London School of Economics (LSE).
Deepti Mukerjee assumes charge at an important stage for India’s higher education sector, as the government continues to implement reforms under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
The Department of Higher Education oversees policy and administrative matters related to central universities, higher education institutions, scholarships, digital learning and several national education programmes.
Also Read: IAS Vineet Joshi Given Additional Charge as Secretary, School Education and Literacy
Her appointment also comes amid continued focus on improving examination systems and addressing concerns around the conduct, transparency and integrity of major national-level entrance and recruitment examinations.
With reforms underway across university education, postgraduate programmes and assessment systems, Deepti Mukerjee is expected to focus on advancing existing policy priorities and strengthening coordination across institutions within the higher education ecosystem.
_____________________________________________________________________
Stay informed with the latest developments shaping the future of education. Follow Elets Digital Learning for regular updates, insights, and policy news.
Also, join the conversation at the Elets World Education Summit 2026 this October in New Delhi, where education leaders, policymakers, and innovators will come together to discuss the future of learning.
