UP to Witness Major IAS Promotions: Administrative Shake-Up Expected, Spotlight on Durga Shakti Nagpal

Lucknow – The Uttar Pradesh administrative machinery is gearing up for a major reshuffle in the New Year. With the promotion of 67 IAS officers scheduled for January 1, 2026, significant changes in responsibilities and postings are expected across the state. Officers from the 2001 batch are set to be promoted to Principal Secretary, while those from the 2010 batch will move up to Secretary, potentially receiving new assignments in key departments.

Promotions Stir Bureaucratic Buzz
The upcoming promotions, already approved, have sparked extensive discussions within the state bureaucracy. Alongside the elevation in ranks, officers’ roles and responsibilities are likely to undergo changes. Speculations suggest that some 2001 batch officers could head crucial departments as Principal Secretaries, while 2010 batch officers may assume positions as Divisional Commissioners.

District Magistrates May Also Be Transferred
As part of the administrative reshuffle, transfers at the District Magistrate (DM) level are also possible. Promoted officers from the 2001 batch will receive Above Super Time Scale (S-TS) pay, 2010 batch officers will get Super Time Scale (STS) pay, 2013 batch officers will move to Selection Grade, and 2022 batch officers will receive Senior Time Scale pay.

Focus on Durga Shakti Nagpal
One officer under the spotlight is Durga Shakti Nagpal, DM of Lakhimpur Kheri, who is likely to be transferred following her promotion to Secretary rank. Her return to Lucknow is considered almost certain, with several other IAS officers also expected to be reassigned.

Election Commission Restriction on Transfers
Currently, the Election Commission has imposed a freeze on transfers of DMs, ADMs, and SDMs involved in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists. The final voter list is scheduled for publication on March 6, 2026. Until then, any transfers of officers engaged in voter list preparations will require the Commission’s approval, limiting the scope of large-scale DM-level reshuffles.

The administrative reshuffle, coupled with the upcoming promotions, is set to be one of the first major bureaucratic moves of 2026 in Uttar Pradesh.