Ms. Preeti Sudan (Retd.IAS:1983:AP) on Tuesday (30.07.2024) appointed new Chairperson of Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). She will take charge of the post on August 1, 2024 and will serve in this position until April 2025, when she turns 65. Presently, Ms. Sudan is serving as Member of UPSC since November 2022.
“Hon’ble President has also approved the appointment of Smt. Preeti Sudan, Member, UPSC, under clause (1) of the Article 316 of the Constitution for performing the duties of Chairman, UPSC with effect from 1 August, 2024 till further orders or till 29.04.2025, whichever is earlier,” read the appointment order.
Sudan is the second woman to lead the UPSC, following R.M. Bathew, who served as chairperson in 1996.
Sudan retired as the Union Health Secretary in July, 2020. She also served as Secretary, Department of Food & Public Distribution, and held position in Women and Child Development and Defence Ministries.
The departing chairperson, Manoj Soni, tendered his resignation on July 4 for personal reasons, despite his tenure being set to end in 2029. Soni had been with the UPSC since 2017, first as a Member and subsequently as Chairperson from May 16, 2023.
His resignation came amid the ongoing controversy involving UPSC candidates allegedly securing employment with fake certificates. However, media reports suggest that the resignation was not related 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.
