Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Chairman Manoj Soni has tendered his resignation, citing personal reasons.
This decision comes before the scheduled end of his tenure in May 202912. Soni, an eminent educationist, had taken over as a member of the Commission in 2017 and was sworn in as the Chairman on May 16, 20233.
His resignation is unrelated to recent controversies surrounding the UPSC, including the case of probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar, who misrepresented her identity to fraudulently avail attempts in the civil services examination1. Soni expressed a desire to devote more time to socio-religious activities3. Prior to his UPSC appointment, he served as Vice-Chancellor of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University (BAOU) and The Maharaja Sayajirao University (MSU) of Baroda3.
The UPSC’s recent criminal case against Khedkar has sparked discussions on social media about the use of fake certificates by IAS and IPS officers1. Despite the challenges, Soni’s decision to step down remains a significant development in the UPSC’s leadership landscape4.
