Madhya Pradesh is poised for a significant administrative reshuffle as the state government prepares to promote 71 Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers across multiple batches. The Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC), chaired by Chief Secretary Anurag Jain, cleared the names during a meeting held on Thursday, paving the way for one of the largest promotion exercises in recent years.
Officials said the formal orders are expected to be issued around the year-end.
Who Benefits from the Promotion Drive
The promotions span officers from the 2002, 2010, 2013, 2017, and 2022 batches. As per indications from the General Administration Department, around:
16 officers are likely to be promoted to the rank of Secretary
25 officers are expected to move up as Additional Secretaries
At the top of the list, two senior officers from the 2002 batch are set to receive the highest elevation.
Two Officers in Line for Principal Secretary Rank
Sources indicate that M. Selvendran, Secretary in the General Administration Department (Personnel), and Ajit Kumar, currently on central deputation, are likely to be promoted as Principal Secretaries. Ajit Kumar’s elevation is expected to be on a proforma basis, in line with service rules.
Key Names Finalised for Secretary-Level Posts
Several high-profile officers currently heading important field and departmental roles have been cleared for promotion to Secretary rank. These include:
Kaushlendra Vikram Singh, Collector, Bhopal
Ashish Singh, Commissioner, Ujjain
Abhijeet Agrawal, Excise Commissioner
Deepak Kumar Saxena, Public Relations Commissioner
Tarun Rathi, Health Commissioner
In addition, names under consideration for Secretary-level elevation include senior officers from finance, food, health, power distribution, panchayat raj, urban development, labour, and election-related departments.
Promotions Put on Hold for Some Officers
Not all names made it through the DPC. Promotion of Santosh Verma, a 2012-batch IAS officer posted as Deputy Secretary (Agriculture), has been withheld following a recent controversy linked to a public statement.
Similarly, promotions of Tarun Bhatnagar (2012 batch) and Rishi Garg (2013 batch) have been deferred due to pending departmental inquiries.
When Will the Orders Be Issued
According to senior officials, promotion orders for IAS officers may be issued on December 31, 2025, or January 1, 2026. Meanwhile, a separate DPC meeting is scheduled for December 12 to finalise promotions for State Administrative Service (RAS) officers, including elevations to the posts of Senior Additional Collector, Additional Collector, and Joint Collector.
