As one walks down the Hill along the Rajpath, now renamed Kartavya Path, come other edifices — Rail Bhavan, Krishi Bhavan, Shashtri Bhavan, and Kartavya Bhavan on one side and Sena Bhavan, Udyog Bhavan, and Vanijya Bhavan on the other. The bureaucrats who adorn the offices in these buildings decide on India's economic, social, and industrial policies. There are many tales to be told from the corridors of these grandiose buildings. We let you in on some of them here in this week's edition of "Inside Raisina Hill".

Will Home Secretary Govind Mohan Be Given 2nd Extension?

Even as the extended present tenure of incumbent Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, a 1989 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Sikkim cadre, is going to end on August 22, there have been no talks in the bureaucratic circles about a fresh appointment. This has led to speculations that, like his predecessor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Mohan will get a fresh second extension to continue in the post.

However, in the MHA corridors at Kartavya Bhawan- 3, a section of the bureaucracy is of the view that given the government’s track record, a last-minute surprise may not be ruled out.

Last year, when an extension was given to Mohan, the country was preparing for the mega census with caste enumeration and amid the MHA’s resolve to end Naxalism by March 31, 2026.

Currently, the Census is going on with the house-listing exercise and will soon enter the critical phase of population count along with politically sensitive caste enumeration. In between, the government has also constituted a high-level Committee on demographic change, which has been functioning with active support from the MHA.  

It is to be noted that Mohan, a seasoned bureaucrat, is considered to be a trusted officer who was also the government’s key officer during the COVID-19 pandemic and was tasked with overseeing the implementation of decisions taken for various protocols and ensuring smooth coordination with the states.

Senior IPS Arvind Kumar Poised For Deputy NSA Role

There has been widespread speculation in the spy circles that Arvind Kumar, a 1993-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the Bihar cadre, is most likely to be shifted from the Intelligence Bureau to the National Security Council as Deputy National Security Advisor.

The talks have started doing the rounds over Kumar’s possible shift as Dy NSA because incumbent TV Ravichandran, a 1990-0batch retired IPS officer of Tamil Nadu cadre, is set to complete his two-year tenure in the office by July end. Ravichandran was appointed Dy NSA in July 2024 for a two-year tenure specifically to oversee technology and cyberspace portfolios.

According to sources, Kumar is the preferred choice to step into Ravichandran's shoes, as he directly oversaw the Intelligence Bureau’s technology and cyber operations wing, giving him precisely the domain expertise that the Deputy NSA role demands. Interestingly, his batchmate Mahesh Dixit, an IPS officer of the Andhra Pradesh cadre, has since been appointed as the Director of the Intelligence Bureau, replacing one of the longest-serving IB Chiefs, Tapan Deka.

MHA Orders AIIMS Medical Review Of Three AGMUT Cadre IPS Officers

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has ordered three AGMUT cadre Indian Police Service (IPS) officers, who have remained on prolonged medical leave after joining their transferred postings, to undergo an independent medical evaluation by a nine-member board constituted at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

In an order issued recently, the MHA directed the officers to appear before the AIIMS medical board with all relevant medical records, health certificates and valid identity proof for an assessment of their health status.

The officers are Gaurav Sharma (IPS:2009), transferred to Ladakh in September 2024; Bijendra Kumar Yadav (IPS:2010), posted to Puducherry in February 2023; and Shankar Chaudhary (IPS:2011), transferred to Mizoram in July 2023.

All the three officers had moved from Delhi to their respective postings but subsequently proceeded on extended medical leave, prompting the Ministry to seek an independent assessment of their fitness.

The MHA has asked the Chief Secretaries of Ladakh, Puducherry and Mizoram to ensure compliance with its directions. The AIIMS board will conduct a clinical evaluation of the officers and examine the medical documents submitted before furnishing its opinion to the Ministry.

DoPT Seeks Disciplinary Action Against Kerala IAS Officer 

The Centre has recommended disciplinary proceedings against Kerala cadre IAS officer Asif K Yusuf (IAS:2016) after finding that the Other Backward Class (OBC) certificate submitted by him during the civil services selection process was invalid.

In a communication to the Kerala Chief Secretary, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) said both the OBC certificate and the income certificate issued by the Tahsildar of Kanayannur Taluk were found to be “erroneous and incorrect”. The income certificate has since been cancelled following scrutiny.

The DoPT has asked the Kerala Government to initiate action against the officer under the provisions of the IAS (Probation) Rules and the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules.

The Centre’s action follows allegations that Yusuf had submitted incorrect documents to claim reservation benefits under the OBC category while appearing for the Civil Services Examination.

The DoPT also noted that the officer’s IAS service is yet to be confirmed as vigilance clearance from the Kerala Government remains pending. In view of the findings, it has directed the state government to initiate appropriate disciplinary proceedings without delay.

The case pertains to the officer's alleged submission of incorrect income-related documents to secure OBC reservation benefits, following which the Centre concluded that the certificates relied upon for the claim were not valid.

PESB Goes Fully Digital, Ends Offline Applications From August 1

The Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) has decided to switch to a fully digital application process for appointments to board-level posts in Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs), ending the existing hybrid system of online and offline submissions. The new system will come into effect from August 1, 2026.

Under the revised procedure, all applications must be submitted through the online portal available on the PESB's official website. Ministries, departments and CPSEs will forward applications exclusively through the PESB Nodal Officer Portal, while all offline modes—including hard-copy submissions, email forwarding and direct physical applications—have been discontinued.

Until now, candidates could submit printed applications through nodal officers, administrative ministries, email or directly to the PESB office in New Delhi. The Board said the offline process often resulted in delays, incomplete documentation and missing signatures, affecting the scrutiny of applications.

The move is aimed at making the selection process faster, more transparent and entirely paperless. The online system will also streamline application tracking and shortlisting for vacancies.

The change, however, will not affect the interview process. Candidates shortlisted for board-level positions, including Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) and Director posts, will continue to appear for in-person interviews, as per the existing practice.