The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) on Wednesday posted 1989-Sikkim cadre Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Govind Mohan as the next Union Home Secretary. Mohan, who turns 59 next month, takes over from Ajay Kumar Bhalla, a 1984-batch IAS officer of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, who was appointed as Union Home Secretary in August 2019 and remained on the post for almost half a decade. In addition to the seniority of the post — just a notch below the Cabinet Secretary and with the key responsibility of advising the Union Home Minister on administrative and policy matters — Mohan’s appointment assumes more significance in the face of Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir among others over the coming days. An electrical engineer from BHU-IIT Varanasi, Mohan has served as Union Culture Secretary since October 2021 and had two stints in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in the past. Hailing from Uttar Pradesh, Mohan has been on Central Deputation since August, 2017 and has served as a Joint Secretary in the MHA from May to September 2018 and as Additional Secretary from September 2018 to September 2021. According to sources aware of developments in this regard, Mohan’s appointment had paved the way for a significant reshuffle at the Secretary-level in the Government of India. In addition to an estimated 10 to 12 postings as Secretaries in various ministries, the reshuffle was also expected to impact a few states, sources added.
