Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba gets one-year extension: The Central government has officially given Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba a one-year extension, making him India’s longest-serving cabinet secretary. 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.
Daily Current Affairs Quiz: August 2023
The Rules of Extension
- The Central Government has the authority to extend the cabinet secretary’s service in the public interest. This extension, however, cannot last more than four years.
- 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 term, he has already been extended twice, once in 2021 and again in 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.
Key takeaways for competitive examinations
- Chairperson of the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet: Narendra Modi
