New Delhi: Dr. Ajay Kumar, former Defence Secretary and a retired IAS officer of the 1985 Kerala cadre, has been appointed as the new Chairman of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). The appointment was officially cleared by President Droupadi Murmu, as per an order issued by the Union Personnel Ministry.
Dr. Kumar succeeds Preeti Sudan, a former Union Health Secretary and 1983 batch IAS officer, whose tenure as UPSC Chairperson concluded on April 29, 2025. Sudan was appointed to the post on August 1, 2022.
“The President is pleased to appoint Dr. Ajay Kumar as Chairman, Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) under Article 316(1) of the Constitution of India,” the order stated.
His tenure will be governed by Article 316(2) of the Constitution and the UPSC (Members) Regulations, 1969, as amended.
Recent Addition to UPSC: Sujata Chaturvedi
Earlier this month, Sujata Chaturvedi, former Secretary of the Department of Sports, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, assumed charge as a UPSC member. She took the oath of office and secrecy administered by Lt. Gen. Raj Shukla (Retd.), the seniormost member of the Commission.
With the appointment of Dr. Ajay Kumar and the recent inclusion of Sujata Chaturvedi, the UPSC leadership continues to be helmed by experienced senior civil servants, reaffirming its institutional strength in conducting the prestigious civil services examinations and other recruitment processes for the Government of India.