UPSC Chairperson Manoj Soni Quits 5 Years Before End Of Term, Cites 'Personal Reasons' For Early Exit

Manoj Soni, Chairperson of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), has resigned due to "personal reasons" almost five years before his tenure was set to end in 2029, according to sources.

This resignation is reportedly unrelated to the controversy involving probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar, who allegedly used fraudulent disability and caste certificates to secure her selection.

Photo Credit: https://upsc.gov.in

Soni joined the UPSC in 2017 and took over as its chairperson on May 16, 2023. The UPSC is a constitutional body responsible for conducting the Civil Services Examination (CSE) to recruit candidates for top government services like IAS, IPS, and IFS.

Sources indicate that Soni submitted his resignation to the President about a month ago, but it remains unclear whether it will be accepted.

Before his UPSC appointment, Soni served as a vice-chancellor at two universities in Gujarat. He was the vice-chancellor of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University (BAOU) from 2009 to 2015 and held the same position at Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda from 2005 to 2008, where he became the youngest VC in India.

Soni is a renowned scholar in political science with a specialisation in international relations.

The UPSC recently lodged a criminal case against Puja Khedkar for "misrepresenting and falsifying facts" during the civil services examination.

Khedkar has also been issued a show cause notice for the cancellation of her selection and potential debarment from future exams. Following the UPSC's complaint, the Delhi Police registered a case involving charges of forgery and cheating.

"UPSC has filed a complaint with Delhi Police against Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar for misrepresenting and falsifying facts to obtain extra attempts in the UPSC examinations, beyond the prescribed limit. Consequently, a case has been registered under the relevant sections of the law," Delhi Police said in a statement.