The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has appointed Preeti Sudan, a 1983 batch IAS officer from the Karnataka cadre, as its new chairperson, effective August 1. Sudan, who previously held the position of Union Food Secretary, will serve until April 2025. This makes her the second woman to lead the UPSC, following R.M. Bathew, who served as chairperson in 1996.
Sudan’s appointment comes after the resignation of Manoj Soni, the previous chairman, who stepped down on July 20 citing personal reasons. Soni’s resignation occurred before the expiry of his tenure in May 2029 and came amidst the ongoing controversy involving UPSC candidates allegedly securing employment with fake certificates.
While reports initially suggested that Soni’s resignation was unrelated to the scandal involving trainee Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Puja Khedkar, who is accused of falsifying identity documents and presenting a disability certificate to gain entry into the service, the timing of his departure raised eyebrows. The case of Puja Khedkar’s misuse of power and privileges has sparked widespread concern and debate about the integrity of the UPSC selection process.
Social media has been flooded with claims and counterclaims regarding the use of fake certificates by serving IAS and Indian Police Service (IPS) officers. Users have circulated names, photos, and other details of some IAS and IPS officers, alleging that they used fraudulent certificates to obtain benefits intended for Other Backward Class (non-creamy layer) and Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) categories.
Soni, a scholar of political science specializing in international relations, taught at Sardar Patel University (SPU) in Vallabh Vidyanagar from 1991 to 2016, excluding his tenure as Vice-Chancellor at the two universities. He has received numerous awards and recognitions and has published extensively.
The UPSC, which is led by a chairman and can have up to ten members, currently has seven members, three short of its full complement.
