New Delhi: The Centre has extended the tenure of Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan till August 22, 2026, as per an official order issued on Friday. The decision comes amid crucial national developments, including preparations for the next mega census with caste enumeration and the Union Home Ministry’s renewed push to end Naxalism by March next year.
Govind Mohan, a 1989 batch IAS officer from the Sikkim cadre, was appointed Union Home Secretary in August 2024, succeeding Ajay Kumar Bhalla upon his retirement on August 22, 2024.
According to the order issued by the Ministry of Personnel,
“The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved Mohan’s extension in services as Home Secretary beyond the date of his superannuation on September 30 up to August 22, 2026 or until further orders, in terms of the provisions of Fundamental Rules (FR 56) and Rule 16 of the All India Services Rules, 1958.”
These rules provide for service extensions of senior officials in critical administrative roles.
With this extension, Mohan will now serve a full two-year term in a post considered vital to India’s internal security, law and order coordination, and intelligence oversight.
Before taking charge as Home Secretary, Mohan served as the Union Culture Secretary. A seasoned bureaucrat with wide-ranging experience, he played a key role during the COVID-19 pandemic, where he was tasked with implementing critical protocols and ensuring smooth coordination between the Centre and states.
The Home Ministry is currently overseeing multiple high-priority agendas, including:
- India’s 16th Census, scheduled for 2027, with the reference date set as October 1, 2026 for snow-bound regions like Ladakh, and March 1, 2027 for the rest of India.
- A strategic plan to eliminate Naxalism by March 2026, which continues to challenge law enforcement in several states.
Mohan’s leadership during this time is seen as vital to both policy execution and security management.