UPSC chairman Manoj Soni resigns 5 years before end of term citing ‘personal reasons’

UPSC chairman Manoj Soni resigns: The chairperson of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), Manoj Soni stepped down from his position five years before his term was set to conclude in 2029 citing ‘personal reasons’.

Soni's resignation occurred at a period of scrutiny for the commission, which has filed a criminal case against probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar for allegedly falsifying her identity to fraudulently benefit from multiple attempts in the civil services examination. 

However, official sources said that Manoj Soni’s resignation is "not related in any way to the controversies and allegations concerning the UPSC" following the Puja Khedkar issue.

Who is Manoj Soni? 

• Eminent educationist Manoj Soni  became a member of the Commission on June 28, 2017.
• Manoj Soni was appointed UPSC chairman on May 16, 2023, with a term set to end on May 15, 2029.
• Soni served as the Vice-Chancellor of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University, Gujarat for two terms from August 1, 2009, to July 31, 2015.
• He also served as Vice-Chancellor of The Maharaja Sayajirao University (MSU) of Baroda for one term from April 2005 to April 2008.
• He was the founder coordinator of the Center for Excellence in Ethics in Politics and Public Administration, funded by the Gujarat government.
• In 2008, he served on the Justice R. J. Shah (Red.) Fee Regulatory Committee, established by the Gujarat legislature to regulate the fee structure of un-aided professional institutions in the state.

- With inputs from agencies

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