New telecom minister Kapil Sibal cleared IAS exam in 1973; would have been the batch-mate of Ashok Chawla and Nirupama Rao

HAD Indian minister Kapil Sibal chosen to accept the offer to join Indian Administrative Service (IAS) 37 years ago, he would have been batch-mate of finance secretary Ashok Chawla, President’s secretary Christy L Fernandez, foreign secretary Nirupama Rao, India’s ambassador to US Meera Shankar and her husband and former industry secretary Ajay Shankar, Chhattisgarh’s top cop Vishwa Ranjan and former telecommunication secretary Siddhartha Behura. Yes, all these super bureaucrats are of 1973 batch when Kapil Sibal, an MA in history from Delhi’s St. Stephens College and product of Harvard Law School, cleared the IAS, but declined the offer as he wanted to become an advocate.

This week, Prime Minister has given Sibal additional charge of ministries of science and technology, and telecommunications in addition to his current HRD portfolio. For the record, his handling of telecommunications ministry would be carefully watched as a number of major decisions are likely to be taken in the ministry in the wake of alleged 2G scam.

Sibal, an MP from Delhi’s Chandni Chowk constituency, would have retired if he had joined bureaucracy in 1973. But now in politics, Sibal is not considered old at all, and he seems to have a long innings before the Congress recommends him for a gubernatorial assignment.

Action and Appointments

a) Nawal Kishore Sharma, a 1988 batch Indian Defence Service of Engineers, has been selected for appointment as director in the ministry of road transport and highways for a period of five years from the date of taking over charge of the post or until further

orders.