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Arun Goel (IAS) Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 28, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth7 December 1962

Age60 Years

BirthplacePunjab, India

ProfessionElection Commissioner of India, Retired Civil Servant (Retd.)

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

Arun Goel (IAS) Biography

Arun Goel is a retired Indian Administrative Service officer from the 1985 Punjab cadre who was appointed Election Commissioner of India on 19 November 202

Early life and background

Arun Goel was born on 7 December 1962 in Punjab, India. He completed his undergraduate and master’s studies in mathematics at Punjabi University, Patiala, where he was awarded gold medals for academic distinction. He later pursued a postgraduate diploma in development economics at Churchill College, University of Cambridge.

Career

Goel joined the Indian Administrative Service in the 1985 batch and spent the bulk of his career in the Punjab cadre before taking on numerous central government assignments. Early postings listed in his service record include frontline district and municipal roles—subdivisional officer, additional deputy commissioner and deputy commissioner—where he handled land revenue, district administration and urban development responsibilities in districts such as Bathinda and Ludhiana.

Over the years he moved through a wide range of state-level administrative positions, including leadership of state public enterprises and boards. He served as managing director of several state corporations in areas such as industries, tourism, warehousing and transport, and held secretarial roles in departments covering youth affairs and sports, finance, housing and urban development, and power.

Goel’s central government career included appointments in urban development, finance and labour, with stints as joint secretary and additional secretary in ministries that administered national programs and initiatives. He was involved with the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission and held responsibilities related to disinvestment and revenue at the Centre. Later, he served in the culture ministry in progressively senior roles, culminating in his appointment as secretary of culture.

In December 2019 he was appointed secretary in the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, a post he held until late 2022. During his time in government he also headed the Project Monitoring Group in the Prime Minister’s Office, a role that placed him in charge of tracking implementation of high-priority projects.

Training and professional development

Throughout his career Goel participated in extensive in-service and specialized training programs. Domestic courses included development administration, disaster management, negotiating strategies, governance and social policy, and programs on ethical leadership and public–private partnership delivered by national training institutions such as the National Institute of Rural Development, Indian Institute of Management Bangalore, Administrative Staff College of India and Tata Institute of Social Sciences.

He also attended international training on public sector management and trade-related topics in locations such as the United States, Geneva and the United Kingdom.

Retirement and Election Commission appointment

Goel took voluntary retirement from his position as secretary, Ministry of Heavy Industries on 18 November 2022, a little over a month before his scheduled retirement date of 31 December 2022. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the administrative order that led to his replacement as secretary. The following day, on 19 November 2022, the President of India appointed him as an Election Commissioner, filling a vacancy on the three-member commission that had existed since May 2022.

Public profile

Goel has been recognized for academic excellence dating back to the start of his career; he received the chancellor’s medal awarded by the Governor of Punjab early in his service. Physically, publicly available profiles list his height at approximately 175 cm and note black hair and black eyes. He is married; his spouse’s name is not listed in the public summary used here.

Latest updates

As of November 2022 Arun Goel is serving as an Election Commissioner of India, having moved into that role immediately after his voluntary retirement from the civil service. His long administrative career across state and central government, combined with focused training in governance and public administration, underpins his responsibilities in the Election Commission.
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Recent Work

Election Commissioner of India

Appointed to the Election Commission on 19 November 2022 after voluntary retirement from the post of Secretary, Ministry of Heavy Industries.

2022
Secretary, Ministry of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises

Served as the secretary of the Ministry of Heavy Industries until voluntary retirement on 18 November 2022.

2019-2022
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Career Highlights

  1. Joined the Indian Administrative Service in the 1985 batch (Punjab cadre).
  2. Held senior state-level posts including deputy commissioner and managing director of multiple state corporations.
  3. Served in central government roles across urban development, finance, labour, culture and heavy industries.
  4. Led the Project Monitoring Group in the Prime Minister’s Office.
  5. Appointed Election Commissioner of India on 19 November 2022.
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Arun Goel (IAS) born?

7 December 1962

What is Arun Goel (IAS) known for?

Election Commissioner of India, Retired Civil Servant (Retd.)

What is Arun Goel (IAS)’s marital status?

Married