The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has a new Chairperson. Mandeep K Bhandari, a 2001-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the AGMUT cadre, has been appointed as the new Chairman of CBSE. The appointment was approved by the Centre on September 25, 2026, as part of a series of senior-level bureaucratic appointments. The post has been temporarily upgraded to the rank and pay of an Additional Secretary.
Bhandari brings more than two decades of administrative experience to the education board. He has held several senior positions in Jammu and Kashmir and has also served in important administrative roles related to health, education and public administration.
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Who is Mandeep K Bhandari, New CBSE Chairman?
Mandeep K Bhandari is a 2001-batch IAS officer from the AGMUT cadre. According to his official IAS profile, he was born on December 14, 1974, and holds an MBBS degree. His educational qualification includes an MBBS from Punjab University and Dayanand Medical College and Hospital.
Before his appointment as CBSE Chairperson, Bhandari was serving as Principal Secretary to the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir and was also holding additional charge as Chief Executive Officer of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board.
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Mandeep K Bhandari: Education and Career
Bhandari completed his MBBS and subsequently joined the Indian Administrative Service. He has served in a number of administrative positions during his career, including Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Additional District Development Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner.
He has also served as Deputy Commissioner of Leh and Jammu, Chief Executive Officer of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board and Commissioner/Secretary to the Government of Jammu and Kashmir in the Health and Medical Education Department. He was appointed Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, in 2017.
|
Particulars |
Details |
|
Name |
Dr Mandeep K Bhandari |
|
New Post |
CBSE Chairperson |
|
IAS Batch |
2001 |
|
Cadre |
AGMUT |
|
Qualification |
MBBS |
|
Date of Birth |
December 14, 1974 |
|
Previous Position |
Principal Secretary to the Lieutenant Governor of J&K |
|
Additional Charge |
CEO, Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board |
CBSE Gets New Chairman Amid Leadership Changes
The appointment comes after a series of leadership changes at CBSE in 2026. In June, the Centre appointed Prashant Sitaram Lokhande as CBSE Chairperson, replacing Rahul Singh. Lokhande was serving as an Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs at the time of his appointment.
The June leadership change took place amid scrutiny surrounding CBSE's On-Screen Marking (OSM) system used for evaluation of Class 12 board examination answer sheets. The Centre had also ordered an inquiry into the procurement of services related to the OSM system.
What Does the CBSE Chairman Do?
The CBSE Chairperson heads the country's central school education board and oversees several key academic and administrative functions. These include board examinations, curriculum-related decisions, affiliation of schools, academic initiatives and coordination with schools and education authorities.
CBSE is currently preparing for the 2026-27 academic session and upcoming Class 10 and Class 12 board examinations. The board has already issued directions related to the submission of the List of Candidates (LOC) for the 2026-27 main examinations.
