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Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) chairperson Manoj Soni has resigned due to "personal reasons," nearly five years before his term was set to end in 2029, according to sources.
Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) chairperson Manoj Soni has resigned due to “personal reasons,” nearly five years before his term was set to end in 2029, according to sources. The resignation is not connected to the controversy involving probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar, who is accused of submitting fraudulent disability and caste certificates.
Soni, who joined the UPSC in 2017, became chairperson on May 16, 2023, overseeing the civil services exam (CSE) for top government positions. Sources indicate that Manoj Soni submitted his resignation to the president about a month ago.
It remains unclear whether his resignation will be accepted. Before his 2017 appointment to the UPSC, Manoj Soni served three terms as a vice chancellor at two universities in Gujarat.
He held two consecutive terms as vice chancellor of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University (BAOU) from 2009 to 2015 and served as vice chancellor of the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda from 2005 to 2008, becoming the youngest VC in India during his time there. Specializing in international relations, Soni is a renowned political science scholar.
The UPSC has recently lodged a criminal case against Puja Khedkar for “misrepresenting and falsifying facts” during the civil services examination. They have issued her a show-cause notice for cancellation of her selection and debarment from future exams.
Following the UPSC’s complaint, Delhi Police have registered a case with charges of forgery and cheating. According to a Delhi Police statement, the case involves Khedkar allegedly misrepresenting and falsifying facts to obtain additional attempts in the UPSC exams beyond the allowed limit.
