New UPSC Chief: Retired IAS Officer Preeti Sudan To Replace Manoj Soni As Chairperson

She will assume the office of chairperson of the UPSC on August 1, 2024. Sudan will succeed Soni, who resigned earlier this month attributing personal reasons for his departure, even though he had a tenure till May 2029.

It is to be noted here that Sudan will be the second woman to hold the position of chairperson of the UPSC after R M Bathew, who held the job in 1996.

Second Woman To Head UPSC

The UPSC is a constitutional body whose role is to recruit, select, and train top-level civil servants for the Government of India. The body was established in 1926 as an independent agency to ensure it remains free from any political influence.

Apart from conducting examinations for different top positions in the government, the UPSC also advises the government on civil service recruitment, promotions, and disciplinary actions of civil servants.

Manoj Soni, who began working with the UPSC as a member in 2017, was sworn in as the chairperson of the commission on May 16, 2023.

Controversy With IAS Trainee 

The UPSC has been embroiled in a controversy following allegations against trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar, who allegedly forged identity papers to gain entry into the civil service. However government sources say Soni’s decision to step down is not related to the recent controversy involving UPSC candidates.

The 1983 batch IAS officer from Andhra Pradesh cadre, Preeti Sudan will hold office till April 2025. Her career stint includes high profile jobs such as the post of Union Health Secretary from which she retired in July 2020, Secretary in Food & Public Distribution Department and in the Ministry of Women & Child Development and Defence.

She has made many notable contributions to various National programmes like 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao', 'Ayushman Bharat', Legislation on the National Medical Commission, Allied Health Professionals Commission, and the ban on e-cigarettes. She had also served as a Consultant with the World Bank.

She has obtained M.Phil in Economics and MSc in Social Policy and Planning from London School of Economics and Political Science. On November 29, 2022 she had joined as a Member in the UPSC.

The UPSC conducts examinations for appointment to the services of the Union, holds direct recruitment by selection through interviews, appoints officers on promotion/deputation/absorption, frames and amends Recruitment Rules for various services and posts under the Government, takes disciplinary cases relating to different Civil Services and advises the Government on any matter referred to the Commission by the President of India.