Lokhande Prashant Sitaram Appointed Interim CBSE Chairperson

The Centre has entrusted senior IAS officer Lokhande Prashant Sitaram with the additional charge of CBSE Chairperson while he continues to serve in the Ministry of Home Affairs. Here's a closer look at his educational background, administrative career, and the leadership transition at India's largest school education board.

The Central Government has appointed senior IAS officer Lokhande Prashant Sitaram as the new Chairperson of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), assigning him the responsibility on an additional charge basis while he continues to serve in the Ministry of Home Affairs. The appointment follows a revised order issued by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) on July 2, 2026. Under the latest arrangement, Lokhande will continue as Additional Secretary in the Department of Home, Ministry of Home Affairs, while also heading the country's largest school education board until a regular Chairperson is appointed or further orders are issued.

Leadership change at CBSE

Lokhande replaces Rahul Singh, who has been transferred to the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare as Additional Secretary. The Centre has also appointed Varun Bhardwaj as the new Secretary of CBSE. He succeeds Himanshu Gupta, who was serving as the board's Secretary. The appointments come as part of a broader administrative reshuffle aimed at ensuring continuity in the functioning of key government institutions.

Revised appointment order

The latest order modifies an earlier government notification issued in June, under which Lokhande had been appointed as the full-time CBSE Chairperson. The revised order now places him in a dual role, allowing him to continue in the Ministry of Home Affairs while simultaneously leading CBSE on an interim basis. The government has clarified that he will discharge the responsibilities of the CBSE Chairperson until a permanent appointment is made or until further directions are issued.

Who is Lokhande Prashant Sitaram?

Lokhande Prashant Sitaram is a 2001-batch IAS officer of the AGMUT cadre with an academic background in engineering and industrial management. He earned a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Pune University before completing a Postgraduate Diploma in Industrial Engineering from the National Institute of Industrial Engineering (NITIE), Mumbai. His administrative experience spans several important assignments in government.

Why the appointment matters

The interim arrangement is aimed at ensuring that CBSE's administrative and academic responsibilities continue without interruption during the leadership transition. CBSE is India's largest school education board, overseeing more than 30,000 affiliated schools across India and abroad. The board conducts the Class 10 and Class 12 board examinations, frames academic policies, and plays a central role in implementing education reforms under national policy initiatives. With board examinations, curriculum reforms, and policy implementation remaining among CBSE's core responsibilities, maintaining stable leadership is considered essential for the smooth functioning of the organisation.Here is the official notice.