Education Secretary Vineet Joshi Shifted, Naresh Pal Gangwar Appointed Successor As Govt Reshuffles Top Bureaucrats
In a major administrative reshuffle, the Central Government has appointed senior IAS officer Naresh Pal Gangwar as the new Secretary of the Department of School Education and Literacy, replacing Vineet Joshi, who has been shifted out of the ministry.
The Centre on Thursday carried out a major bureaucratic reshuffle, shifting Higher Education Secretary Vineet Joshi and appointing Naresh Pal Gangwar as his successor. The appointments, approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), are part of a wider reshuffle involving several secretary-level positions across key ministries. The government has not linked the changes in the Ministry of Education to the ongoing controversy surrounding the alleged NEET paper leak.
Naresh Pal Gangwar to Head Higher Education Department
Naresh Pal Gangwar, a 1994-batch IAS officer of the Rajasthan cadre, has been appointed Secretary of the Department of Higher Education under the Ministry of Education. Before this appointment, Gangwar was serving as Secretary in the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying. He will now take charge of the Higher Education Department, replacing Vineet Joshi. PM Narendra Modi Announces Fast-Track Courts for Paper Leak Cases Amid CJP-Led Student Protests.
Vineet Joshi Moved to Department of Personnel and Training
Vineet Joshi, a 1992-batch IAS officer of the Manipur cadre, has been appointed Secretary in the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), one of the Centre's key administrative departments.
Joshi has held several important positions in the education sector during his career, including serving as Chairman of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Director General of the National Testing Agency (NTA) and Secretary of the Department of Higher Education. Rahul Gandhi Hits Back at PM Narendra Modi Over Exam Paper Leaks, Lists 3 Key Demands.
Wider Administrative Changes
The reshuffle included multiple appointments and transfers of senior bureaucrats across ministries, including Civil Aviation, Animal Husbandry and other departments. Such secretary-level changes are part of the government's periodic administrative exercise aimed at filling key positions and ensuring continuity in governance across ministries.
Timing Draws Attention Amid Education Sector Scrutiny
The change in the Higher Education Department comes as the education sector remains under public and political scrutiny over recent examination-related controversies, including the alleged NEET paper leak.
However, neither the ACC order nor the government has indicated that Vineet Joshi's transfer is connected to the ongoing investigations or protests. The appointments have been presented as part of a broader administrative reshuffle.
The Department of Higher Education is responsible for policy matters related to universities, technical education and higher educational institutions across the country. Secretary-level appointments are routinely approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet as part of administrative restructuring and leadership changes within the Union government.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 23, 2026 11:35 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
