Mandeep K Bhandari appointed as new CBSE chairperson

The Indian government has appointed Mandeep K Bhandari, a 2001 batch IAS officer of the AGMUT cadre, as the new chairperson of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). The appointment was approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet as part of a broader bureaucratic reshuffle involving several senior officials across various departments.

Bhandari, who previously served as the Principal Secretary to the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, takes over the role from Prashant Sitaram Lokhande, who held additional charge of the position. This leadership change follows controversies surrounding the board’s On-Screen Marking (OSM) system, which faced criticism from students and parents regarding technical issues and re-evaluation processes.

The reshuffle also included several other high-level appointments. Vipin Kumar has been named Additional Secretary for the Department of Rural Development, and V Ponnuraj has been appointed Director General of Hydrocarbons. Other officials received new roles in the ministries of Steel, Economic Affairs, Power, and Higher Education.