Who is IAS Saurabh Katiyar? Maharashtra Public Service Commission gets new Secretary amid paper leak row

IAS Saurabh Katiyar, who is a Mumbai Suburban Collector, will now also serve as the Secretary of the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC). His appointment came amid scrutiny of the commission following allegations of paper leak.

The Maharashtra government handed Katiyar the additional charge on Wednesday, according to the Indian Express.

The appointment came after MPSC secretary Mahendra Harpalkar was transferred amid allegations of examination irregularities, the report added. The chairman of the commission, Vivek Bhimanwar, also went on compulsory leave pending an inquiry, according to reports.

The order issued by the state government stated that, for administrative reasons, the additional charge of Secretary of the MPSC was assigned to Katiyar until further orders.

An 11-day protest was reported organised by aspirants in Pune against the MPSC. They demanded action over the alleged paper leak and sought the resignation of chairman Vivek Bhimanwar.

The state government announced a judicial inquiry into the MPSC paper leak case. It also constituted a committee of Justice Dilip Bhosale to investigate the Public Service Commission paper leak case .

Who is Saurabh Katiyar?

Katiyar, a Maharashtra cadre 2016 batch IAS officer, is the Mumbai Suburban Collector and District Collector. He was appointed to the post in May 2025. He hails from Kanpur Dehat district in Uttar Pradesh.

According to Navbharat Times, Saurabh Katiyar is considered a trusted aide of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Saurabh Katiyar graduated from IIT Kanpur with BTech and MTech degrees. He later joined Qualcomm in Bengaluru.

Before serving as the Mumbai Suburban Collector, Saurabh Katiyar was the Collector of Amravati.

Saurabh Katiyar's work and achievements

Saurabh Katiyar led India's first-ever AI-powered skill census, a report of which was released by Devendra Fadnavis in August 2026. This census has put Mumbai Suburban on the global academic map, as it became a case study at Northwestern University and is currently being studied by prestigious global institutions and knowledge partners, PTI reported.

For the census, he envisioned use of AI and latest technologies in creating real ground impact through frameworks integrating all stakeholders. Field verification and performance management platform ARC was used for the door-to-door enumeration.

Katiyar was previously awarded for his works in the Amravati district.

As the Amravati Collector, Katiyar focused on Mission 28 to reduce infant mortality in the tribal region of Maharashtra's Melghat. According to Indian Masterminds, Katiyar launched 'Mission 28' in 2022. The programme targeted maternal and child health during the critical 56-day childbirth period.

The initiative involved monitoring high-risk pregnancies, strengthening follow-up and working with frontline health workers to improve access to care. Through community engagement, local language counselling, and enhanced healthcare services, the initiative reduced IMR from 36 to 19.98 and MMR from 93 to 28.92, improving institutional deliveries and setting a model for rural healthcare, the report added.

Katiyar also served as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Akola Zilla Parishad.

Controversy

As Mumbai Suburban Collector, Katiyar handled land administration and encroachment issues in one of the state’s most densely populated districts. The role brought him under scrutiny, the Indian Express reported.

In August, the court criticised delays in removing encroachments around a natural pond in Charkop, Kandivali (West), and warned that it could recommend the Collector’s transfer if effective action was not taken, the report stated.

The court subsequently noted an improvement in the condition of the site but said further cleaning remained necessary.

In July 2026, Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule informed the Legislative Assembly that the Maharashtra government, in few days, reclaimed nearly 34 acres of prime government land in Mumbai, estimated to be worth around ₹50,000 crore, following a series of anti-encroachment drives.

Responding to a discussion in the House, Bawankule had praised Mumbai Suburban Collector Saurabh Katiyar and Mumbai City Collector Aanchal Goyal for leading the drive, according to a Mid Day report.