New Delhi: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) on Wednesday approved one-year extensions for Cabinet Secretary T. V. Somanathan and Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, according to separate orders issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).
The ACC extended the tenure of Somanathan, a 1987-batch IAS officer of the Tamil Nadu cadre, as Cabinet Secretary for one year beyond August 30, 2026. In a separate order, it approved a one-year extension for Mohan, a 1989-batch IAS officer of the Sikkim cadre, as Union Home Secretary beyond August 22, 2026.
In Mohan’s case, the DoPT said the extension was granted by relaxing the provisions of Fundamental Rule (FR) 56(d) and Rule 16(1A) of the All India Services (Death-cum-Retirement Benefits) Rules, 1958.
Somanathan assumed charge as the country’s top bureaucrat on August 30, 2024, succeeding Rajiv Gauba after serving as Finance Secretary and Secretary, Department of Expenditure.
He holds a PhD in Economics from Calcutta University, completed the Executive Development Program at Harvard Business School, and is a qualified chartered accountant, cost accountant and company secretary.
During his career, Somanathan has served as Joint Secretary and Additional Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, and Director, Corporate Affairs, at the World Bank in Washington, DC.
In Tamil Nadu, he served as Managing Director of Chennai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd, Secretary to the Chief Minister, and Additional Chief Secretary and Commissioner of Commercial Taxes during the rollout of the Goods and Services Tax (GST). He has also authored three books and published more than 80 papers and articles on economics, finance and public policy.
Mohan has served as Union Home Secretary since August 23, 2024. An engineering graduate from the Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University, and a management postgraduate from the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, he previously served as Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Additional Secretary and Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Joint Secretary in the Department of Economic Affairs, and Minister (Economic) at the Embassy of India in Washington, DC.
The ACC is the highest authority for appointments to senior positions in the Union government. It is chaired by the Prime Minister, with the Union Home Minister as its sole other member.
The ACC decides on appointments, tenure extensions and other service-related matters for top posts, including the Cabinet Secretary, Secretaries to the Government of India and other positions specified under the Transaction of Business Rules. Proposals requiring its approval are processed through the Establishment Officer in the DoPT.
