Senior IAS officer Rajesh Aggarwal among top contenders to become Maharashtra Chief Secretary

After being elevated as a secretary, he served in the Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Ministry.Aggarwals central deputation was to end in November 2026, but the state government requested that he be repatriated, said sources.

Senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of Maharashtra cadre Rajesh Aggarwal has been brought back to the state from central deputation and is one of the top contenders to succeed Chief Secretary Rajesh Kumar, an official said on Thursday.

Kumar, a 1988-batch IAS officer, was to retire in August but was given a three-month extension, which ends in November.

"Aggarwal has been repatriated and is set to resume soon," said the official. The bureaucrat, a 1989-batch IAS officer, is the senior-most after Kumar superannuates in November 2026. His batchmate I S Chahal, currently the Additional Chief Secretary (Home), retires in January 2026.

If chosen to succeed Kumar, Aggarwal will get a full year at the top post.

Prior to his repatriation on October 28, Aggarwal served as a secretary in the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

He was on central deputation from January 2015 and had served as joint secretary in Finance, Tribal Affairs, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship ministries. He has also served as an additional secretary in the Petroleum and Natural Gas and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship ministries. After being elevated as a secretary, he served in the Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Ministry.

Aggarwal's central deputation was to end in November 2026, but the state government requested that he be repatriated, said sources.

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