Centre Extends Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan’s Tenure to 2026

The Appointment Committee of the Cabinet has extended the tenure of Home Secretary Govind Mohan until 22 August 2026, or until further order. Govind Mohan was to retire on 30 September 2025. 

The Union Ministry of Personnel notified the extension of service for Govind Mohan on 11 July 2025. According to the ministry, the extension to Govind Mohan has been provided under the provisions of Fundamental Rules or FR 56 (d) and Rule 16 (1A) of the All India Services (Death-Cum-Retirement Benefits) Rules, 1958.

1989-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Govind Mohan assumed charge as the Secretary of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs on 22 August 2024. He replaced Ajay Kumar Bhalla, who retired as home secretary on 22 August 2024 after serving for five years.

With the current extension, Govind Mohan will have a tenure of two years as Home Secretary. The post of Home Secretary is considered the most important position after the Cabinet Secretary in the central government bureaucracy.

Extension to Govind Mohan and the Population Census

The Office of the Registrar General and the Census, under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, will commence the 2027 population census on 1st October 2026 in the snow-bound areas of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, and the entire Union Territory of Ladakh.

In the rest of the country, the population census will start on 1st March 2027.

It is believed that the central government extended the tenure of Govind Mohan as Home Secretary to ensure continuity in the census exercise.

About Govind Mohan 

Govind Mohan, a native of Uttar Pradesh, is a 1989 batch IAS officer of the Sikkim cadre.

In 2017, he was appointed Joint Secretary in the Union Ministry of Home Affairs for the Union Territory division and was later promoted to Additional Secretary in 2018. 

In October 2021, he was appointed Secretary of the Ministry of Culture.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Govind Mohan was the key person entrusted with implementing the provisions of the Disaster Management Act 2005 to deal with the pandemic. He was also responsible for coordinating with the state government to implement COVID-related government measures effectively. 

Govind Mohan has also been the principal resident commissioner of the Sikkim government in New Delhi.

Educational Qualification 

• Bachelor of Technology from the  Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University in Electrical Engineering.
• Post Graduate Diploma in Management, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.

Important Secretaries of the Government of India (July 2025)

Cabinet Secretary - T V Somanathan 

Home Secretary - Govind Mohan 

Foreign Secretary - Vikram Misri

Defence Secretary - Rajesh Kumar Singh 

Finance Secretary - Ajay Seth

Commerce Secretary - Sunil Barthwal