Who is IAS Saurabh Katiyar? Maharashtra Public Service Commission Has New Secretary Amid Paper Leak Controversy | Today’s news
IAS Saurabh Katiyar, who is the suburban collector in Mumbai, will now also serve as the secretary of the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC). His appointment came amid a commission review following allegations of a paper leak.
The Maharashtra government handed over the additional charge to Katiyar on Wednesday, according to the Indian Express.
The appointment came after MPSC secretary Mahendra Harpalkar was transferred amid allegations of examination irregularities, the report added. Commission chairman Vivek Bhimanwar has also gone on compulsory leave pending an inquiry, according to reports.
An order issued by the state government said that for administrative reasons, the additional charge of MPSC secretary has been allotted to Katiyar till further orders.
An 11-day protest organized by aspirants against MPSC was reported in Pune. They demanded action over the alleged paper leak and sought the resignation of chairman Vivek Bhimanwar.
The state government has announced a judicial inquiry into the MPSC paper leak case. It also appointed a Justice Dilip Bhosale committee to investigate the Public Service Commission paper leak case.
Who is Saurabh Katiyar?
A 2016 cadre IAS officer in Maharashtra, Katiyar is the Suburban Collector of Mumbai and the District Collector. He was appointed to the post in May 2025. He hails from Kanpur Dehat district of Uttar Pradesh.
According to Navbharat Times, Saurabh Katiyar is considered a trusted aide of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Saurabh Katiyar graduated from IIT Kanpur with BTech and MTech degrees. He later joined Qualcomm in Bengaluru.
Before serving as Suburban Collector in Mumbai, Saurabh Katiyar was Collector of Amravati.
Works and achievements of Saurabh Katiyar
Saurabh Katiyar led India’s first-ever AI-powered skills census, the report of which was released by Devendra Fadnavis in August 2026. The census put Mumbai Suburban on the global academic map as it became a case study at Northwestern University and is currently being studied by prestigious global institutions and knowledge partners, PTI reported.
For the census, he envisioned the use of artificial intelligence and the latest technologies in creating real on-ground impact through frameworks integrating all stakeholders. For the door-to-door enumeration, the ARC platform was used for field verification and performance management.
Katiyar was earlier felicitated for his works in Amravati district.
As collector of Amravati, Katiyar focused on Mission 28 to reduce child mortality in Maharashtra’s Melghat tribal region. According to Indian Masterminds, Katiyar launched “Mission 28” in 2022. The program focused on the health of mothers and children during the critical 56-day period of childbirth.
The initiative included monitoring high-risk pregnancies, strengthening surveillance and collaborating with frontline health workers to improve access to care. Through community engagement, local language counseling and better health services, the initiative reduced IMR from 36 to 19.98 and MMR from 93 to 28.92, improved institutional delivery and set a model for rural healthcare, the report added.
Katiyar also served as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Akola Zilla Parishad.
Controversy
As Suburban Collector of Mumbai, Katiyar dealt with land administration and encroachment issues in one of the state’s most densely populated districts. The role brought him under scrutiny, the Indian Express reported.
In August, the court criticized delays in clearing encroachments around a natural pond at Charkop in Kandivali (West) and warned that it may recommend the transfer of the Collector if effective action is not taken, the report said.
The court subsequently stated that the condition of the site had improved, but stated that further cleaning was still necessary.
In July 2026, Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule informed the Legislative Assembly that the Maharashtra government had within days reclaimed nearly 34 acres of prime government land in Mumbai, estimated to be worth around ₹50,000 crore, after a series of anti-encroachment drives.
Responding to the debate in the House, Bawankule praised Mumbai Suburban Collector Saurabh Katiyar and Mumbai City Collector Aanchal Goyal for leading the unit, according to a Mid Day report.
