Naresh Pal Gangwar Appointed Higher Education Secretary Amid Ongoing Education Protests
1994-batch IAS officer from Rajasthan cadre replaces Vineet Joshi in key Ministry of Education role
The Impressive TimesNew Delhi, July 24: The Centre on Friday appointed senior IAS officer Naresh Pal Gangwar as the new Secretary of the Department of Higher Education in the Ministry of Education. The appointment comes at a time when the Education Ministry remains in focus due to ongoing protests over alleged examination irregularities.
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved Gangwar’s appointment. A 1994-batch IAS officer of the Rajasthan cadre, he succeeds Vineet Joshi, a 1992-batch officer who has been transferred as Secretary, Department of Panchayati Raj.
Naresh Pal Gangwar is currently serving as Secretary in the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying. Over the course of his administrative career, he has held several important positions at both the Centre and the state level, handling portfolios related to governance, infrastructure and environmental policy.
Gangwar has a Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech.) in Electronics and Communication Engineering from IIT Roorkee and a Master’s degree in Communication and Radar Engineering from IIT Delhi. He also holds a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of Rajasthan.
Earlier in his career, Gangwar served as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, where he oversaw divisions dealing with pollution control and hazardous substances management. He has also served as Principal Secretary in the Government of Rajasthan.
His appointment comes during a period of heightened attention on the higher education sector, with nationwide discussions on examination reforms and transparency. The Department of Higher Education is responsible for policy formulation, regulation and coordination of universities and higher education institutions across the country.
The change in leadership is expected to ensure continuity in the Ministry’s administrative functioning as the government continues to address key education-related issues and implement reforms.
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