UPSC Chairman Manoj Soni resigns five years before tenure, cites personal reasons
- In Reports
- 08:06 PM, Jul 20, 2024
- Myind Staff
UPSC chairman Manoj Soni has reportedly resigned from his position citing personal reasons, as per official sources on Saturday. His resignation, according to the sources, is unrelated to the recent controversies and allegations involving the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) following the issue involving probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar. Sources indicated that Soni tendered his resignation over two weeks ago, but it has not yet been formally accepted.
Mr. Soni, a prominent educationist aged 59, joined the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) as a member on June 28, 2017. He assumed the role of UPSC chairman on May 16, 2023, with his tenure originally scheduled to conclude on May 15, 2029.
Sources indicated that Mr. Soni had initially expressed reluctance to take on the role of UPSC chairman and had requested to be relieved of the position. However, his request was reportedly not granted at that time. Now, Mr. Soni has decided to resign from his position as UPSC chairman in order to focus more on "socio-religious activities," according to sources. His resignation, tendered over two weeks ago, is currently pending acceptance.
The recent developments regarding Ms. Khedkar's case have garnered significant attention. The UPSC recently announced that it has initiated a criminal case against her for allegedly using fake identity to fraudulently avail attempts in civil services examinations beyond eligibility. Steps have also been taken to prevent her from participating in future selections.
Following the exposure of Ms. Khedkar's misuse of privileges, social media platforms have been abuzz with discussions and debates. Claims and counter-claims have surfaced regarding the alleged use of fake certificates by certain Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) officers, among others. Social media users have shared names, photos, and other details of some officers, alleging that they used bogus certificates to avail benefits intended for individuals from the Other Backward Class (OBC) non-creamy layer and Economically Weaker Sections (EWS).
Before joining the UPSC, Mr. Soni held the position of Vice-Chancellor for three terms: (1)- He served two consecutive terms as Vice-Chancellor of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University (BAOU), Gujarat, from August 1, 2009, to July 31, 2015. (2)- He also served as Vice-Chancellor of The Maharaja Sayajirao University (MSU) of Baroda from April 2005 to April 2008, during which he became the youngest Vice-Chancellor in India at the time of his appointment.
Mr. Soni is an accomplished scholar in political science, specialising in international relations. He taught international relations at Sardar Patel University (SPU), Vallabh Vidyanagar, from 1991 to 2016, except for his tenure as Vice-Chancellor at the two universities.
Throughout his career, Mr. Soni has received numerous accolades and awards for his contributions to academia. He has also authored a substantial number of publications in his field of expertise.
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is led by a Chairman and can accommodate a maximum of ten members. Currently, the UPSC has seven members, which is three members fewer than its authorised strength.
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