Mandeep K. Bhandari Appointed CBSE Chairperson – 26 September 2026

What happened

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the appointment of Mandeep K. Bhandari, a 2001-batch IAS officer of the AGMUT cadre, as Chairperson of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). Multiple national dailies reported the decision around 25–26 September 2026. He was serving as Principal Secretary to the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu & Kashmir.

The change follows earlier controversy around On-Screen Marking (OSM) based evaluation, after which the previous leadership had been removed and an inquiry ordered in June 2026.

Background

CBSE is the national board under the Ministry of Education that affiliates thousands of schools and conducts Class 10 and 12 board examinations. Chairperson appointments are ACC decisions routed through the Department of Personnel and Training.

Why it matters for exams

Appointments of board heads, cadre and batch details are asked in UPSC and state PSC current affairs.

Key facts for exams

• Appointee: Mandeep K. Bhandari
• Service: IAS, 2001 batch, AGMUT cadre
• Post: Chairperson, CBSE
• Previous role: Principal Secretary to J&K Lieutenant Governor
• Approving body: Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC)

Practice MCQs

1. Who was appointed CBSE Chairperson in late September 2026?

   (A) Rahul Singh
   (B) Mandeep K. Bhandari
   (C) Himanshu Gupta
   (D) Vipin Kumar

   Answer: (B) – ACC approved Mandeep K. Bhandari as CBSE Chairperson.

2. Mandeep K. Bhandari belongs to which IAS cadre?

   (A) Bihar
   (B) AGMUT
   (C) Maharashtra
   (D) West Bengal

   Answer: (B) – Reports identify him as AGMUT cadre, 2001 batch.

3. CBSE functions under which Union ministry?

   (A) Home Affairs
   (B) Education
   (C) Culture
   (D) Skill Development only

   Answer: (B) – CBSE is under the Ministry of Education.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/ias-officer-mandeep-bhandari-appointed-chairperson-of-cbse/article71510066.ece