The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved Gauba's appointment to the top post in the bureaucratic hierarchy for two years beginning August 30.
"The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has also approved the appointment of Shri Rajiv Gauba, IAS (JH: 1982) as Officer on Special Duty in the Cabinet Secretariat from the date of his assumption of charge till he takes over as Cabinet Secretary," a government order said.
Gauba would succeed P.K. Sinha who has been on extension after completing four years in the chair. The government had changed the rules to give Sinha extension beyond the four-year term.
Officials who earlier worked with Gauba said he is very balanced, quiet and a non-controversial person. But they pointed out that this is perhaps the first time an officer who was due to retire in few days has been made Cabinet Secretary.
"There must be some reason worth finding out as to why Gauba was the choice of the government. Maybe, it is because he successfully led the government move to nullify Article 370 and bifurcating Jammu and Kashmir," one of the officers said.
Another official who also did not wish to be named said that Gauba's career had seen meteoric rise after he became Chief Secretary of Jharkhand.
At the Centre, Gauba has served as Secretary in the Ministry of Urban Development before being given charge of Home Secretary in January 2018. He was also Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Environment.
( With inputs from IANS )