LUCKNOW: With just a day left for Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh to hang up his boots, uncertainty surrounds his future as the state awaits the Centre’s decision on its request to extend his tenure by a year.
A 1988-batch IAS officer, Manoj Kumar Singh, was appointed as the state’s Chief Secretary on June 30, 2024, replacing Durga Shankar Mishra after the latter’s two-and-a-half-year term, which included three extensions.
The keenness to retain Singh is evident from the formal request sent to the Centre nearly two weeks ago, seeking an extension of his service beyond the scheduled retirement date of July 31, 2025.
In support of its request, the UP government, in its letter, highlighted Singh’s involvement in major projects, including the Zero Poverty programme, which he is spearheading. It also cited the upcoming Global Investors Summit and a Groundbreaking Ceremony slated for the end of this year, for which Singh’s leadership would be crucial.
Moreover, with UP Assembly elections less than two years away, the state government would prefer to avoid any major bureaucratic reshuffle while implementing its key programmes.
However, uncertainty grips the state administration as the Centre is yet to communicate its decision to the UP government.
Speculation over a possible denial of extension is growing, especially as the Centre had earlier declined the state government’s request to extend the tenure of DGP Prashant Kumar, who retired on May 31, 2025.
With the clock ticking, the names of three senior IAS officers—Shashi Prakash Goel (1989 batch), Devesh Chaturvedi (1989 batch), and Deepak Kumar (1990 batch)—are being considered as front-runners for the top post.
Goel, who currently serves as Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister, is seen as a strong contender.
Chaturvedi, currently Secretary in the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare at the Centre, has held several key posts in both the Union and state governments.
Agriculture Production Commissioner Deepak Kumar is also serving as Additional Chief Secretary for Basic and Secondary Education and Finance.