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".

12 Types Of Bureaucrats

Files that gather dust, tempers that flare, meetings that run late, and bosses who arrive late are some of the unwelcome attributes of bureaucrats - Cabinet Secretary T.V. Somanathan has flagged these in a pointed and uncomfortable portrait of India’s bureaucracy, identifying 12 types of officers who stand in the way of efficiency, accountability, and workplace discipline.

According to sources, in a presentation at a performance review meeting with Union government secretaries recently, Somanathan’s classification mixed humour with a hard message: that bureaucratic dysfunction is often less about rules than the people administering them.

On his list were officers who lose their cool, speak rudely or throw files; those who sit on decisions indefinitely; and those who summon staff on Saturdays or schedule meetings late into the evening, only to turn up late themselves. Others routinely call meetings after 7 p.m., seemingly oblivious to the value of their colleagues’ time.

One particularly pointed category featured officers who ask women colleagues to move uncomfortably close to inspect a document or review work, which is a reminder that workplace conduct matters as much as administrative competence.

Somanathan also took aim at the culture of buck-passing, as officers who push decisions to ministers despite having the authority to act, refuse to delegate, or send files back up the chain to dodge responsibility.

The indictment extended to delayed inter-ministerial consultations, mediocre performance dressed up in near-perfect appraisal scores, needless procedural layers and resistance to modernisation.

The message dovetails with the government’s push for faster decision-making and the proposed Deregulation 3.0 reforms: cut red tape, trust subordinates, take responsibility, and deliver results.

For a service built on rules, hierarchy, and procedure, the Cabinet Secretary’s 12-type taxonomy delivered a blunt reminder that process is no substitute for performance and rank is no excuse for poor conduct.

Elevation Triggers J&K Reshuffle

Two senior IAS officers, Ashwani Kumar (1992 batch) and Ashish Chandra Verma (1994 batch), have been brought back to Delhi, days after Sajjan Singh Yadav (1995 batch, AGMUT cadre) was appointed Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir on 24 October 2026.

The transfers, ordered on 27 October, are being viewed in the bureaucratic circles as part of an administrative realignment following Yadav’s elevation to the post of Chief Secretary of the Union Territory.

Yadav’s appointment has drawn attention as he has superseded more than a dozen IAS officers, several of whom were considered contenders for the coveted position.

Among the senior officers overlooked are Vipul Pathak (1992 batch), currently serving as a Secretary in the Government of India, and Navin Choudhary (1994 batch), who is also on Central deputation. Yadav’s batchmate Rohit Kansal is likewise serving as a Secretary to the Government of India.

Others in the reckoning include Shaleen Kabra (1992 batch), Financial Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary, Jal Shakti, who also holds additional responsibilities in Revenue and Estates, and Dheeraj Gupta (1993 batch), Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister.

Yadav’s batchmate Shailendra Kumar is serving as Financial Commissioner/Additional Chief Secretary, Finance, while Anil Kumar Singh, also from the 1995 batch, heads the Public Works Department as FC/ACS.

The latest transfers could be the first in a broader reshuffle of the J&K bureaucracy. Further changes are expected as the administration settles into its new leadership arrangement, although no additional transfers have been announced so far.

MP's First Woman DGP?

Madhya Pradesh could be on the verge of appointing its first woman Director General of Police, with 1991-batch IPS officer Pragya Richa Srivastava emerging as a strong contender to succeed incumbent Kailash Makwana, who retires on 30 November 2026.

The state government has forwarded a list of 12 senior IPS officers to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), which will soon meet to shortlist a panel of three candidates for the top police post. The final appointment will be made by the state government from the panel recommended by the commission.

Srivastava’s batchmates Varun Kapoor and Upendra Jain are also tipped to be in contention, potentially setting up a keen race for the coveted position.

The other officers on the list are Pankaj Shrivastava, Adarsh Katiyar, G. Akheto Sema, Anil Kumar, Ravi Gupta, Anand Kumar Singh, Manmeet Singh Narang, Rajababu Singh and D.P. Gupta.

Srivastava’s elevation would mark a milestone in Madhya Pradesh’s policing history, placing a woman at the helm of the state police for the first time.

However, the outcome will hinge on the UPSC’s final panel and the state government’s choice, with the succession process now entering a crucial phase ahead of Makwana’s retirement.

Agrawal Likely To Stay CBDT Chief

Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) Chairman Ravi Agrawal is likely to receive a two-month extension beyond 31 December 2026, with the government keen to retain him through the upcoming Union Budget preparation exercise, which will be completed in February 2027.

Agrawal, a 1988-batch Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer, took charge as CBDT chairman on 1 July 2024. Though he superannuated on September 30 that year, he was retained on a contractual basis until 30 June 2025. His tenure was subsequently extended, with the latest approval from the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) allowing him to continue until 31 December 2026.

The proposed extension would ensure continuity at the helm of the direct taxes administration during a crucial period for the Finance Ministry.

Before taking over as chairman, Agrawal served as CBDT member (Administration) and held several key assignments in the Income Tax Department over a career spanning more than three decades. He succeeded 1986-batch IRS officer Nitin Gupta.

As CBDT chief, Agrawal oversees the functioning of the Income Tax Department, including senior-level appointments and transfers, tax research and international tax engagement. His responsibilities also include advising the Finance Ministry on direct tax policy, implementing Cabinet decisions and driving administrative reforms.

Sunil Kumar As ONGC Chairman

The buzz around a further extension for outgoing Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) Chairman Arun Kumar Singh has come to an end with the Centre clearing the appointment of Sunil Kumar, an Executive Director at the oil and gas major, as his successor for a three-year tenure.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas’s proposal, based on the recommendation of the Search-cum-Selection Committee (SCSC).

According to a recent government order, Kumar will serve until his superannuation on 31 December 2028 and continue thereafter on a contractual basis, with his combined tenure capped at three years.

The arrangement covers his remaining service period and subsequent contractual engagement; it does not provide for an additional three years after retirement.

Kumar will take over from Arun Kumar Singh, whose extended tenure as chairman is due to end on 6 December 2026.

Singh’s continuation had fuelled speculation about another extension, with sections advocating that he remain at the helm. The government’s decision to appoint Kumar, however, settles the succession question and signals a transition in leadership at the country’s largest oil and gas producer.

The appointment follows the prescribed selection process, with the SCSC’s recommendation forming the basis of the government’s approval.