The Centre has appointed Anurag Jain, a 1989-batch IAS officer of the Madhya Pradesh cadre, as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NITI Aayog for two years. According to the latest official order from the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), Jain will assume charge with immediate effect and serve for the duration of his approved extension in service. The appointment will continue for an overall period of two years or until further orders, whichever is earlier. The ACC order specifically states that the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Anurag Jain, IAS (MP:1989), as Chief Executive Officer, NITI Aayog, with effect from the date of his assumption of charge of the post, till his approved tenure of extension in service and thereafter, for an overall period of two years or until further orders, whichever is earlier. As reported by multiple sources, Jain brings extensive experience in economic policy and public administration to the role, making him well-suited to guide the government's long-term economic roadmap and development agenda.
As reported by Business Standard, Jain was instrumental in framing almost 30 sector-specific investment policies covering nearly all facets of trade and industry during his tenure as chief secretary of Madhya Pradesh. He assumed charge as the Chief Secretary of Madhya Pradesh on October 3, 2024, and following his retirement in 2025, he was granted a one-year extension in service. His extended tenure was scheduled to end on August 31, 2026. Jain holds a B.Tech Honours in Electrical Engineering from IIT Kharagpur in 1986 and obtained his MA in Public Administration from Maxwell School, USA. He has served in key positions including Secretary, Road Transport & Highways and Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). From 2011 to 2015, Jain also served as Joint Secretary in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). In the early years of his administrative service, Jain had served as the collector of Mandla, Mandsaur and Bhopal. As a seasoned administrator with nearly four decades of experience, Jain has held several key positions in both the Union government and the Government of Madhya Pradesh, being associated with policy and administrative initiatives particularly in infrastructure development, industrial growth and governance reforms.
According to the ACC order, Jain's appointment will be on the same terms and conditions as those applicable to his predecessor. The Madhya Pradesh government has appointed Ashok Barnwal, a 1991-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer and Additional Chief Secretary, as the officiating Chief Secretary following Jain's departure. Born in Gwalior in 1965, Jain is a 1989-batch IAS officer who will serve as NITI Aayog CEO until further orders, whichever is earlier. As the CEO of NITI Aayog, the Centre's premier public policy think tank, Jain will oversee efforts to promote cooperative and competitive federalism, support evidence-based policymaking and facilitate the implementation of key national development priorities. The appointment ends a leadership gap at the institution following the departure of BVR Subrahmanyam, a former 1987-batch IAS officer of the Chhattisgarh cadre, who took charge as NITI Aayog CEO in February 2023. The Centre had earlier appointed senior IAS officer Nidhi Chhibber as the interim Chief Executive Officer of NITI Aayog, following the completion of B V R Subrahmanyam's extended tenure on February 24, 2026. Chhibber, a 1994-batch IAS officer of Chhattisgarh cadre, is the Director General, Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office, NITI Aayog.
As reported by NDTV Profit, Jain's appointment comes as NITI Aayog continues to spearhead policy recommendations aimed at accelerating economic growth, boosting innovation, improving governance and advancing the government's vision of Viksit Bharat. As the CEO of NITI Aayog, Jain will oversee the functioning of the government's premier policy institution, which plays a central role in shaping India's long-term development agenda. He will be responsible for advancing evidence-based policymaking, strengthening cooperative and competitive federalism, and coordinating with states and central ministries on priority reforms and flagship initiatives. With his extensive administrative experience, Jain is expected to provide continuity and strengthen the institution's role in driving policy formulation and implementation across key sectors. The Centre has entrusted the seasoned bureaucrat with the leadership of the government's apex public policy think tank for a two-year term to drive reforms and advance the Viksit Bharat agenda.
