Inside The Secretariat: Gujarat's Bureaucracy Braces For Major IPS Revamp

IPS Reshuffle Expected Soon

These days, discussions in the state's police establishment are centred more on postings than on criminals. The atmosphere in the corridors is such that the new chairs of several officers appear to have already been decided. Amid speculation of a large-scale IPS reshuffle in the near future, every phone call and every meeting is being viewed through the lens of possible postings. The Surat Police Commissioner's post has generated the most discussion. In police circles, Nipurna Torawane's name is leading the race, while Sandeep Singh is also being mentioned. Speculation is equally strong about Vabang Zamir moving to CID Crime, KL N. Rao to the Prisons or Home Guards Department, and Narsimha Komar being linked with Surat. Several senior officers are also being discussed for postings in Vadodara and the Kutch Range. The irony is that the names most frequently discussed often do not appear in the final transfer list, while officers whose names were never in circulation suddenly find themselves occupying key positions.

BRICS Youth Energy Summit In Gujarat

India holds the BRICS Presidency in 2026, and as part of it, the BRICS Youth Energy Summit will be held in Gandhinagar on 17–18 August. For these two days, Gandhinagar will witness the presence of young minds from the energy sector, policymakers, and delegates from different countries. A city usually known for political and administrative meetings will now become the centre of an international dialogue on youth and energy. It is also a moment of pride for Gandhinagar. As Gujarat strengthens its identity in GIFT City, renewable energy and green development, the summit will further reinforce the state's global image. For two days, Gandhinagar will not just be the capital of Gujarat but the capital of youth energy ideas from the BRICS nations. BRICS brings together eleven major emerging markets and developing countries of the world. It comprises Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates.

The Return Of A Key Bureaucrat

Whenever speculation begins about an experienced IAS officer returning to the parent cadre from Central deputation, discussions in administrative circles reach a fever pitch. Such is the case once again with reports that 1999-batch senior IAS officer Ajay Bhadoo may soon return to Gujarat, reigniting discussions over his likely posting. Officers returning to the state after a long stint in Delhi are generally expected to be entrusted with key responsibilities. According to sources, unless he receives another extension, Ajay Bhadoo is likely to return to Gujarat shortly. Bhadoo was appointed as Joint Secretary in the President's Secretariat in July 2019. In October 2022, he moved to the Election Commission of India as Deputy Election Commissioner. Since August 2024, he has been serving as Additional Secretary in the Department of Commerce, Government of India, and also holds the additional charge of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Government e-Marketplace (GeM). Having spent nearly seven years in Delhi, speculation over his return to the Gujarat cadre has gathered fresh momentum.

The Government's 'Dead Stock' Story

The issue of government files gathering dust for years and unused government assets has once again come alive in the Secretariat. Departments have been asked to submit details of old furniture, vehicles and other idle assets. The question remains whether this exercise, too, will remain confined to paperwork or whether long-pending records will finally be cleaned up. Administrative circles believe that preparing inventories alone will not make a difference; only time-bound decisions can. Sources say that in some departments there are items whose last use cannot even be recalled because the officers who handled them have long since retired. Yet the government's asset registers continue to grow and files continue to move. As a result, storage space, maintenance costs and record-keeping responsibilities keep increasing. The real test now is whether this exercise will remain limited to storerooms or whether it is finally time to bid farewell to 'dead stock'.

A Medal-Winning Transfer

While Gujarat is preparing for the Commonwealth Games, the Sports Department requires experienced officers. Yet, at times, administrative decisions prevent the government from fully utilising an officer's expertise. The Secretary of the Sports Authority of Gujarat (SAG), who had been serving in the position for the last three years and was preparing for international sporting events, has suddenly been transferred as the Municipal Commissioner of Junagadh. Originally a Gujarat Administrative Service (GAS) officer, he was inducted into the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) through promotion. In his place, MR Prajapati, OSD at the Gujarat Maritime Board, has been posted as Secretary of SAG. In the bureaucracy, it is impossible to predict when, where and how postings will take place.

After ED, ACB Steps In

If there is one file being discussed the most in the Secretariat corridors these days, it is the case involving former Surendranagar Collector Rajendra Patel. Following the Enforcement Directorate's action, all eyes are now on the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). Administrative circles believe that the documents, digital trail and other details unearthed during the ED investigation could also prove useful for the ACB. That is why some officials feel the second innings of the case may now be about to begin. Another question doing the rounds is whether the investigation will remain confined to one officer or whether its links could extend to others. There has been no official indication in this regard, but officials agree that the scope of the investigation could become clearer in the coming days. Consequently, many are closely watching the ACB's next move. How far the ACB's action will go after the ED remains uncertain.

The Karwal Playbook

To curb paper leaks and make the country's examination system more credible, the Centre has constituted a high-powered task force under the leadership of Nandan Nilekani. Interestingly, the team also includes Anita Karwal, Chairperson of the Gujarat Real Estate Regulatory Authority (GUJRERA) and a retired IAS officer. During her Central deputation, she served as Chairperson of CBSE and Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy. With years of experience in the education sector and CBSE, Karwal is expected to help design a system in which students place greater trust in the examination process than in the question paper itself. A common observation in bureaucratic circles is that paper leaks had become alarmingly easy, whereas preventing them is now a far more complex challenge. Perhaps that is precisely why the government has turned to names like Nandan Nilekani for technological expertise and Anita Karwal for administrative and educational experience. After all, an examination is not merely about a question paper—it is also about public trust. If this task force succeeds in restoring the confidence that students have lost in the examination system, it will be a far greater achievement than any examination result.

From Bicycles To Semiconductors

The same Hercules Group whose bicycle factory was inaugurated in 1951 by the Maharaja of Bhavnagar and the then Governor of Madras State, Krishnakumar Gohil, now has a company manufacturing semiconductor chips in Sanand for domestic and global markets. CG Semi, a subsidiary of CG Power & Industrial Solutions, has established an OSAT facility with an investment of ₹7,600 crore. The journey is being discussed not only in industry circles but also in government corridors. In seven decades, the company's journey has progressed from manufacturing bicycles to producing microscopic semiconductor chips. Another aspect drawing attention in administrative circles is that CG Semi is adopting a model where women handle a majority of the operations on the plant floor in this advanced technology sector. Young women engineers from Gujarat and other states have been trained in Malaysia and are now managing responsibilities ranging from machine operations to process quality. The combination of cutting-edge technology and women empowerment has itself become a subject of discussion.