Last Updated: 4 July 2026
The Central Government has revised the appointment of IAS officer Prashant Sitaram Lokhande, confirming that he will continue as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) while holding the additional charge of Chairperson of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). The revised arrangement follows an order issued by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) and comes as CBSE continues administrative reforms after the 2026 On-Screen Marking (OSM) review.
A 2001-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the AGMUT cadre, Lokhande will continue discharging his responsibilities in the Home Ministry while leading CBSE on an interim basis until a regular Chairperson is appointed or further government orders are issued. Such additional-charge arrangements are commonly used to ensure continuity in key public institutions during leadership transitions.
Appointment Timeline
|
Date |
Status |
Development |
|
31 March 2026 |
Confirmed (Historical) |
Lokhande assumed charge as Additional Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs. |
|
1 April 2026 |
Confirmed |
The Ministry of Home Affairs issued the official Office Order confirming his appointment. |
|
2 June 2026 |
Confirmed (Historical) |
He was appointed as CBSE Chairperson following changes in the Board’s leadership. |
|
2 July 2026 |
Confirmed (Current) |
The ACC revised the appointment, retaining his MHA position while assigning CBSE as an additional charge. |
Current Responsibilities
|
Position |
Responsibility |
|
Additional Secretary, MHA (JKL & WS) |
Oversees matters relating to Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh and Women Safety. |
|
Additional Charge, CBSE Chairperson |
Supervises CBSE’s administrative and institutional functions until a regular Chairperson is appointed. |
According to official statements and established media reports, Lokhande has recently participated in discussions between the Centre and representatives of the Apex Body Leh (ABL) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA). The talks reportedly reached a broad consensus on establishing an elected Union Territory-level body with executive, financial and legislative responsibilities, while consultations on constitutional safeguards similar to Article 371 are expected to continue.
CBSE Assignment
Lokhande’s additional responsibility at CBSE follows leadership changes made during the government’s review of the 2026 On-Screen Marking system. The evaluation process drew attention after complaints related to answer-sheet mismatches, mark revisions and technical issues, leading to official inquiries and administrative action.
The revised ACC order clarifies that Lokhande’s role at CBSE is temporary and will continue until a regular Chairperson is appointed or further directions are issued.
Officer Profile
|
Particular |
Details |
|
Service |
Indian Administrative Service (IAS) |
|
Batch |
2001 |
|
Cadre |
AGMUT |
|
Education |
B.E. (Mechanical Engineering), Pune University; PG Diploma in Industrial Engineering, NITIE Mumbai |
|
Languages |
Hindi, English and Marathi |
|
Recognition |
Recipient of two State Gold Awards for Meritorious Service |
Official Verification
This article is based on the Ministry of Home Affairs Office Order dated 1 April 2026, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet notification dated 2 July 2026, official CBSE communications, and reports published by established national news organisations. Information has been verified against publicly available government records as accessed on 4 July 2026.
Reader Advisory
Readers should rely only on notifications issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) and CBSE for official updates. Information circulating on unofficial websites or social media should be verified against government sources before being treated as authentic.
Editorial Disclaimer
This article reflects information available as of 4 July 2026. Government decisions, administrative assignments and official notifications may be revised over time. In the event of any change, the latest notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, DoPT or CBSE will prevail.