Former defence secretary Ajay Kumar was on Tuesday appointed chairman of the UPSC, according to a Union Personnel Ministry order. The post of Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) chairman fell vacant after the completion of Preeti Sudan's tenure on April 29. Kumar's appointment was cleared by President Droupadi Murmu, according to the order.
A 1985-batch retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Kerala cadre, Kumar worked as defence secretary from August 23, 2019, to October 31, 2022, according to his service records. The UPSC -- which conducts civil services examinations to select officers for the IAS, Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and the Indian Police Service (IPS), among others -- is headed by a chairman and can have a maximum of 10 members.
At present, there is a vacancy of two members in the commission. A UPSC chairman is appointed for a term of six years or until attaining 65 years of age.