Amit Khare Appointed Secretary to Vice-President Radhakrishnan

On 14 September 2025, retired IAS officer Amit Khare, who currently serves as Advisor to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was appointed as Secretary to the Vice-President of India, CP Radhakrishnan. The decision was approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) and comes days after Radhakrishnan’s swearing-in as India’s new Vice-President.

The appointment is on a contract basis for three years, reflecting the government’s continued reliance on experienced civil servants for key constitutional offices.

Who is Amit Khare?

Amit Khare is a retired 1985-batch IAS officer of the Jharkhand cadre, widely respected for his integrity and administrative skill. He gained national attention for his role in exposing the fodder scam in Bihar during his tenure as district collector of West Singhbhum (1995–1997).

Over his career, Khare held several significant positions,

• Union Higher Education Secretary, where he helped shape the National Education Policy (NEP).
• Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
• Served in key departments in Bihar and Jharkhand, including finance, education, and general administration.
• Post-retirement, he was appointed Advisor to the Prime Minister in October 2021, a role he was to continue till June 2026.

Appointment of Private Secretary

In addition to Khare, the ACC also appointed Chandrasekar S, a 2014-batch IAS officer of Kerala cadre, as the Private Secretary to the Vice-President. This completes the top administrative appointments in the Vice-President’s Secretariat, ensuring a seamless start to Radhakrishnan’s term.

Background: A Change in Vice-Presidency

• C.P. Radhakrishnan was sworn in as Vice-President of India on 12 September 2025, after winning the election on 9 September by a margin of 152 votes over Opposition candidate Justice B. Sudershan Reddy, a retired Supreme Court judge.
• The Vice-Presidential election was held due to the mid-term resignation of Jagdeep Dhankhar on 21 July 2025, who stepped down citing health reasons. Dhankhar, whose term was to continue till 2027, was seen publicly for the first time since his resignation at Radhakrishnan’s swearing-in ceremony.

Important Takeaways

• Amit Khare, ex-IAS (1985 batch, Jharkhand cadre), appointed Secretary to the Vice-President.
• Appointment approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC).
• Contract term: 3 years.
• Chandrasekar S, IAS (Kerala cadre, 2014 batch), appointed Private Secretary to VP.
• C.P. Radhakrishnan sworn in as Vice-President on 12 Sept 2025.
• He succeeded Jagdeep Dhankhar, who resigned mid-term on 21 July 2025.