In a significant top-level administrative reshuffle, the West Bengal government has appointed senior IAS officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal as the state’s new Chief Secretary. The BJP government announced the appointment on Monday, elevating Agarwal from his previous role as Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of West Bengal. He is set to retire in July 2026 and takes over the state’s top bureaucratic post at a crucial time for the administration.
Educational Qualifications
Manoj Kumar Agarwal is a 1990-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the West Bengal cadre and is widely regarded as one of the most efficient and experienced officers in the state. He is an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, where he earned a Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) degree. After completing his engineering education, he cleared the Civil Services Examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and joined the IAS in 1990.
Before being appointed Chief Secretary, Agarwal served as the Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal and ex officio Additional Chief Secretary.
He Has Handled Several Key Portfolios
During his administrative career spanning more than three decades, he has handled several key portfolios, including Additional Chief Secretary of the Forest Department, Disaster Management and Civil Defense, and important roles in the Home and Hill Affairs Department. He has also served as District Magistrate in multiple districts, giving him extensive grassroots administrative experience.
As Chief Secretary, Agarwal will now be the principal advisor to the Chief Minister and the head of the state administration
