Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba gets one-year extension

Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba has been officially granted a one-year extension by the Central government, making him the longest-serving cabinet secretary in India’s history. The decision was made by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC). This extension comes as a result of the relaxation of important rules, allowing him to continue in his position beyond August 30, 2023.

The Rules of Extension

The Central government has the authority to grant an extension in service to the cabinet secretary in the public interest. However, this extension cannot exceed four years in total.
By relaxing the All India Services (Death-Cum-Retirement Benefits) Rules, 1958, and Rule 56(d) of the Fundamental Rules, Rajiv Gauba’s extension has been made possible.

Rajiv Gauba: The Longest-Serving Cabinet Secretary in India’s Bureaucratic History

Rajiv Gauba is an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from the 1982 batch who assumed the position of Cabinet Secretary in 2019.
Initially appointed for a two-year tenure, he has now received extensions twice, first in 2021 and now, beyond August 2023.
With this latest extension, his tenure will surpass that of BD Pande, who held the position from November 2, 1972, to March 31, 1977, making Rajiv Gauba the longest-serving cabinet secretary in India’s bureaucratic history.