Centre Names Deepti Gaur Mukerjee Higher Education Secretary, Revises Gangwar's Appointment

The Centre has appointed senior IAS officer Deepti Gaur Mukerjee as the new Secretary of the Department of Higher Education, modifying its July 23 order that had earlier named Naresh Pal Gangwar for the post.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved Mukerjee’s appointment on Monday night. According to the Department of Personnel and Training order, the decision was taken “in partial modification” of the earlier order issued on July 23.

Mukerjee, a 1993-batch Madhya Pradesh cadre IAS officer, was serving as Secretary in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.

The July 23 order had named Naresh Pal Gangwar, a 1994-batch Rajasthan cadre IAS officer, as Higher Education Secretary and shifted incumbent Vineet Joshi to the Ministry of Panchayati Raj.

However, Gangwar’s appointment was subsequently put in abeyance and he did not take charge of the Higher Education Department. He continued as Secretary of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, while Joshi remained Higher Education Secretary.

Mukerjee’s appointment therefore effectively replaces Joshi and reverses the Centre’s earlier decision to move Gangwar into the post.

Appointment Comes Amid NEET-UG Fallout

The change comes as the Higher Education Department remains under scrutiny over the NEET-UG 2026 controversy and wider concerns surrounding national entrance examinations.

The Department of Higher Education oversees the National Testing Agency, which conducts NEET-UG and several other national-level entrance examinations.

NEET-UG was initially conducted on May 3, but allegations of a paper leak and examination irregularities triggered an investigation and widespread student protests. The examination was subsequently conducted again on June 21.

The controversy also led to sustained demonstrations at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, where students demanded accountability over alleged failures in the examination system.

It was during this period, on July 23, that the Centre announced Gangwar’s appointment as Higher Education Secretary in place of Joshi. However, the government order did not state that the reshuffle was prompted by the protests.

Two days later, on July 25, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned amid mounting political pressure and continuing student agitation over examination irregularities.

Who Is Deepti Gaur Mukerjee?

Mukerjee has held senior positions across the health, corporate affairs and education sectors during her administrative career.

Before joining the Ministry of Corporate Affairs in August 2024, she served as Chief Executive Officer of the National Health Authority, where she was involved in the implementation of major health programmes including Ayushman Bharat.

She has also previously worked in Madhya Pradesh’s education administration, holding senior responsibilities in the School Education Department and the State Education Mission.

A 2017 Ministry of Education document records her involvement in discussions related to the implementation of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan in Madhya Pradesh, including initiatives such as Mil Banche and Kahani Utsav, which focused on reading and learning outcomes.

Mukerjee now takes charge of the Higher Education Department at a time when the Centre is dealing with questions over entrance examination credibility, the functioning of the NTA and implementation of higher education reforms under the National Education Policy 2020.