Former Defence Secretary Dr. Ajay Kumar Takes Oath as UPSC Chairman
Dr. Ajay Kumar, former Defence Secretary of India, was sworn in as the new Chairman of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on May 22. The oath of office and secrecy was administered by the senior-most member of the commission, Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Raj Shukla.
The position had been vacant since April 29 following the completion of tenure by Preeti Sudan. The UPSC is responsible for conducting the Civil Services Examination which selects officers for prestigious services like IAS, IPS, and IFS. The Commission can have a maximum of 10 members, apart from the Chairman. Currently, two member posts are vacant.
Ajay Kumar’s Background
Dr. Ajay Kumar is a retired IAS officer of the 1985 Kerala cadre. He served as the Defence Secretary from August 23, 2019 to October 31, 2022. His distinguished career spans over 35 years in various senior positions at both the state and central levels.
In Kerala, he held key roles such as:
- Managing Director of the Department of Electronics and IT
- Principal Secretary in the Department of Information Technology
UPSC Chairpersons are appointed for a term of six years or until they attain the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.