List of UPSC Chairman from 1926-2025

UPSC Chairman is considered as the head of Union Public Service Commission of India. Currently, Mrs. Preeti Sudan is serving as the UPSC Chairman after replacing Dr. Manoj Soni as on 1st August 2024. UPSC is a central recruitment agency managing the appointment of Group ‘A’ officers within the government of India. Mrs. Preeti Sudan will remain the Chairperson till April 2025. In this article, we are discussing the salary, tenure, List and appointment of UPSC Chairman in India.

Also Read: UPSC Admit Card 2025

Union Public Service Commission Overview 

The Union Public Service Commission is a constitutional body that recruits officers to All India Services and Central Civil Services(Group A and B) by conducting examinations. The Department of Personnel and Training takes up the responsibility of training personnel. The administrative body and the headquarters of UPSC is located in Dholpur House, New Delhi. Founded on 1 October, 1926 as a Public Service Commission body, UPSC underwent structuring and became the Federal Public Service Commission after the Government of India Act, 1935. The name was changed to the Union Public Service Commission after independence. 

UPSC Chairman Overview

The UPSC Chairman is the head of constitutional organisation and is appointed according to the provisions of Article 316 of Constitution of India. 

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New UPSC Chairman: Dr. Ajay Kumar

Former Defence Secretary Dr. Ajay Kumar has been appointed as the new UPSC Chairman by the Government of India.His tenure extends till October 2027 or until he attains the age of 65. A distinguished alumnus of IIT Kanpur, he holds a PhD in Business Administration from the Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota.During his tenure as Defence Secretary (2019–2022), Dr. Kumar played a pivotal role in major reforms, including the creation of the Chief of Defence Staff post in 2020 and the launch of the Agniveer recruitment scheme in 2022.Before his appointment in the Ministry of Defence, he held key positions in the electronics and IT sectors, including Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Electronics and IT, Director General of NIC, Principal Secretary in the Kerala government, and Managing Director of KELTRON. 

UPSC Chairman 2024

Ex IAS Officer Preeti Sudan took the position of Chairperson of UPSC on 1st August 2024 succeeding Dr. Manoj Soni. Before this Preeti Sudan was serving the career as Union Health Secretary, before being appointed as member of UPSC. Her experience includes many ministries including Defense and Women and Child Development.  

First UPSC Chairman (Post Independence) 

K.Kripalani was the first UPSC chairman post Independence and also the first Indian Chairman of the Commission after its establishment in 1926. After independence, the Federal Public Service Commission was transformed to the Union Public Service Commission. On 26th January 1950, it was given constitutional recognition under the Constitution of India.

First Woman UPSC Chairman 

The first woman UPSC Chairman was Rose Millian Bathew who served from 23rd September 1992 to 23rd August 1996. 

List of UPSC Chairman (1926-2025)

The table below contains the complete list of UPSC Chairman: 

UPSC Chairman Salary

The UPSC Chairman receives an annual salary of ₹30 lakhs. Following the implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission's recommendations, the salary saw a significant threefold increase. Currently, the UPSC Chairman earns ₹2.5 lakh per month, while other members receive ₹2.25 lakh per month. Earlier, the monthly salary of the UPSC Chairman was ₹90,000.

• Tenure of UPSC Chairman: The UPSC Chairman serves a tenure of six years or until the age of 65, whichever comes first.
• Qualification of UPSC Chairman: The Constitution of India does not prescribe specific qualifications for the UPSC Chairman or its members. However, it mandates that at least 50% of the members should have held government office for a minimum of 10 years.

Powers and Functions of UPSC Chairman and UPSC 

Article 320 of Constitution of India constitutes the matters related to civil services and posts. The responsibilities of UPSC and its Chairman includes: 

• Examinations are conducted to select candidates for Union services. 
• Direct recruitment is conducted through the way of interviews.
• Appointing officers through promotion, deputation, or absorption. 
• Formulating and revising Recruitment Rules for different government services and positions. 
• Handling disciplinary matters pertaining to various Civil Services. 
• Providing advice to the Government on any issue referred to the UPSC Members by the President of India. 

UPSC Members Overview 

The table below contains the overview of the UPSC Members: 

Current UPSC Members list 

Currently, there are only 7 members of UPSC, 3 less than its actual strength. The table below contains the names of UPSC Members, their respective services, and their current positions: 

UPSC Chairman Functions and Responsibilities 

Following are the functions and responsibilities of UPSC Chairman:

• The UPSC Commission manages the competitive examinations for recruiting the positions of civil services under Government of India.
• The chairman directly recruits through interviews, ensuring candidates who qualify are suitable for the jobs. 
• The UPSC Chairman is also responsible for appointing officers through deputation, absorption, promotion and facilitating career progression within civil services. 
• The UPSC Chairman also advises the Government of India on matters referred by the President promoting governance and policy making. 
• He handles the disciplinary matters established by the code of conduct. 
• UPSC Chairman also leads the commission ensuring decision making and strategic direction. 

These functions highlight the important role of UPSC Chairman in shaping the recruitment landscape for civil services in India.