Preeti Sudan Appointed New UPSC Chairperson; To Take Office On Aug 1.

Preeti Sudan, an IAS officer from the 1983 batch, was named chairwoman of the Union Public Service Commission when Manoj Soni resigned over a recruitment issue. (2012)

Preeti Sudan, an IAS officer from the 1983 batch who served as the former Union Health Secretary, would take over as chair of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on August 1, 2024.
Sudan takes over for Manoj Soni, who quit earlier this month for personal reasons even though his term was supposed to end in May 2029.

Sudan will be the UPSC chairwoman’s second female appointment. The role was held by R M Bathew in 1996 before her. The constitutional organization known as the Union Public Service Commission, or UPSC, is tasked with hiring, vetting, and preparing civil workers for the Indian government. The organization was founded in 1926 as an independent agency to guarantee that it was free from political interference.

In addition to administering tests to candidates for the UPSC, the commission counsels the government over hiring, advancement, and civil servant disciplinary measures.

IAS Preeti Sudan: Who Is She?

Sudan is an Andhra Pradesh cadre officer with a long history in public service. She has held prominent roles in the Women and Child Development ministries, defense, and the Department of Food and Public Distribution. Sudan has been instrumental in national initiatives like Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao, and Ayushman Bharat, as well as important laws like the National Medical Commission and the e-cigarette prohibition.

Sudan has made contributions on a global scale, having held positions as Vice Chair of the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health, Chair of COP-8 of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, and consultant for the World Bank.

Resignation Of Manoj Soni And UPSC Controversy

Soni was the Vice-Chancellor for three terms before to being appointed to the UPSC. He served two terms in a row from 2005 to 2008 at The Maharaja Sayajirao University (MSU) of Baroda and from 2009 to 2015 at Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University (BAOU), Gujarat.
Soni resigned amid controversy, especially over the appointment of probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar, which led to claims of abuse of authority and privilege and debates about the validity of the certifications held by different officers. Her case is still pending; on Wednesday, a Delhi Court is supposed to consider her request for anticipatory bail.