New J&K Chief Secretary: Centre Names Dr Sajjan Singh Yadav

The Centre has named Dr Sajjan Singh Yadav as the next Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir. An order issued by the Union Home Ministry on Saturday made the appointment official.

Dr Yadav, an IAS officer of the 1995 batch under the AGMUT cadre, has been moved from Delhi to Jammu and Kashmir with the approval of the competent authority. His posting as Chief Secretary takes effect from November 1, 2026, or from the day he takes charge, whichever is later.

The Home Ministry has circulated the order to the Chief Secretaries of Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Goa, Chandigarh and Ladakh. It has also been sent to the Advisers to the Administrators of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu and Lakshadweep, and to the Secretary to the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir.

Dr Yadav entered the Indian Administrative Service through direct recruitment based on the UPSC Civil Services Examination. According to official records, his home state is Haryana.

Over a 31-year career, he has served in 23 posts across 17 locations and has also worked on deputation at the Centre. The longest of these postings was as Additional Secretary in the Department of Expenditure under the Ministry of Finance, which spanned four years and eight months. He has additionally served as Joint Secretary in the finance expenditure department in New Delhi and as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Women and Child Development.

His last assignment was as Additional Secretary in the Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance, in New Delhi, where he remained until August 19, 2026. His average tenure per posting has been roughly one year and four months.

Dr Yadav has studied animal husbandry and earned an MBA in finance from the Faculty of Management Studies, Delhi University. He has also completed nine training programmes during his service.