Who is Mandeep K Bhandari? Meet the new CBSE chairman — an IAS officer with medical background

Senior bureaucrat Mandeep K Bhandari, a 2001-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the AGMUT (Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram, and Union Territories) cadre, has been appointed chairperson of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) following a bureaucratic reshuffle by the Centre on Friday (September 25).

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved Bhandari's appointment, according to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).

Bhandari will take over the CBSE chairperson's post from Lokhande Prashant Sitaram, who had been holding additional charge.

Who is Mandeep K Bhandari?

Bhandari is a 2001-batch IAS officer from the AGMUT cadre, which covers Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram and Union Territories.

He entered the civil services through direct recruitment via the UPSC Civil Services Examination. His domicile state on record is Punjab.

According to available service records, Bhandari has completed more than 25 years in government service and has held around 10 postings across 10 locations.

Mandeep K Bhandari's education

Bhandari has a medical background. His educational qualifications on record include an MBBS from Punjab University, Chandigarh, and Dayanand Medical College & Hospital.

His service profile records qualifications in surgery and medicine.

Mandeep K Bhandari's administrative career

Over his career, Bhandari has held several administrative positions at the central and Union Territory levels.

His previous assignments have included roles such as:

-Joint Secretary

-Private Secretary to a Minister

-Additional Chief Executive Officer

-Deputy Commissioner

-Additional Development Commissioner

-Additional Secretary

-Chief Administrative Officer

He is currently serving as Principal Secretary to the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir.

Bhandari takes charge of CBSE

Bhandari's appointment comes after a period of changes in the leadership of the school education board.

Lokhande Prashant Sitaram was appointed CBSE chairman on June 2 this year after the previous incumbent was moved out amid controversy surrounding the On-Screen Marking system.

Sitaram was subsequently appointed Additional Secretary in the Union Home Ministry on July 2 while retaining additional charge as CBSE chairperson.

Bhandari's appointment now gives the board a new full-time chairperson.

What awaits the new CBSE chairman?

The Central Board of Secondary Education is one of India's major school education boards. It affiliates schools, conducts board examinations for Classes 10 and 12, and is involved in curriculum, assessment and other academic matters for affiliated institutions.

Bhandari's appointment places him at the helm of an institution responsible for examinations and academic administration involving a large network of schools and students across India and abroad.

Other appointments in Centre's reshuffle

The Centre also announced several other senior bureaucratic appointments along with Bhandari's appointment.

Vipin Kumar, Chairman of the Airports Authority of India, has been appointed Additional Secretary in the Department of Rural Development.

Srikant Nagulapalli, Director General of Hydrocarbons, will become Additional Secretary in the Department of Expenditure, while V Ponnuraj, a 2000-batch IAS officer of the Karnataka cadre, will take over as Director General of Hydrocarbons.

Other appointments include Sarita Chauhan Chand as Additional Secretary and Financial Advisor in the Ministry of Steel, Anand Singh as Additional Secretary in the Department of Economic Affairs, P Hemalatha as Additional Secretary in the Department of Personnel and Training, and Piyush Singh as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Power.

Ankita Mishra Bundela has been appointed Additional Secretary in the Department of Higher Education, while Manisha Sensarma will serve as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.

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