Dr. Raj Nehru has been entrusted with significant responsibilities in the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO). With his appointment, the number of OSDs (Officers on Special Duty) in the CMO has increased from one to two.
Until now, HCS officer Vivek Kalia was the sole OSD in the CMO. Now, Dr. Raj Nehru has been appointed as OSD with charge of three highly important departments: Future Department, Higher Education, and Youth Empowerment & Entrepreneurship.
These departments include several of the government’s flagship initiatives. Dr. Nehru is the founding Vice Chancellor of Shri Vishwakarma Skill University and is known for pioneering the dual model of skill education in India — a model that is now being adopted by multiple states across the country. Given his deep expertise, the Haryana Government has entrusted him with the ambitious department of Youth Empowerment and Entrepreneurship.
His experience in building an ideal skill ecosystem for youth is expected to play a pivotal role here. In addition, he has been assigned the Higher Education Department, as the government aims to embed a skill-based approach into higher education — ensuring students are aligned with employment-oriented outcomes.
Furthermore, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has also handed over the charge of the Future Department to Dr. Nehru, with the goal of crafting and executing the state’s long-term vision and roadmap.
Known for his visionary leadership and institution-building acumen, Shri Nehru’s appointment reflects the state government’s confidence in his ability to steer this forward-looking initiative.
With a track record of pioneering educational and governance reforms, Shri Nehru is expected to bring innovative frameworks, dynamic collaborations, and a holistic approach to anticipate and address emerging global and local challenges.
The department is designed to function as a strategic think-tank for the state — focusing on forecasting risks, analysing global trends, and shaping policies around critical areas such as climate change, Artificial Intelligence, automation, economic resilience, demographic shifts, and technological disruption.
Under his leadership, the Department of Future will work across government verticals to promote policy integration, foster innovation, and build Haryana’s readiness for a rapidly evolving socio-economic and technological landscape. His experience in bridging academia, governance, and industry is seen as instrumental in turning the department into a catalyst for proactive governance, transforming Haryana into a future-ready state.
Dr. Raj Nehru was appointed as the founding Vice Chancellor of the country’s first Government Skill University in 2016. Prior to that, he also served as Mission Director of the Skill Development Corporation.
His extensive experience in the skill sector has now led to his new assignment — heading departments directly impacting youth and future development. Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has given Dr. Nehru these three key portfolios with the vision of implementing concrete, impactful plans for the youth of Haryana
