UPSC gets new chief: Former IAS officer Preeti Sudan to replace Manoj Soni, takes charge on Aug 1

Preeti Sudan has been appointed as the new Chairperson of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), set to take office on August 1, 2024. Her appointment is sanctioned under Article 316A of the Indian Constitution and comes in the wake of the resignation of ex-chairperson of UPSC, Manoj Soni.

Sudan, who has been a member of the UPSC since November 29, 2022, will serve as Chairperson until her retirement in April 2025, when she reaches the age of 65. The announcement of her appointment was made in a formal letter to UPSC Secretary Shashi Ranjan Kumar from Additional Secretary Manoj Kumar Dwivedi, following the approval of President Droupadi Murmu.

"The Hon'ble President has also approved the appointment of Smt. Preeti Sudan, Member, UPSC, under clause (1) of Article 316 of the Constitution for performing the duties of Chairman, UPSC with effect from 1 August, 2024, till further orders or until 29.04.2025, whichever is earlier," the appointment order stated.

Manoj Soni, who stepped down recently, had been with the UPSC since 2017, serving first as a Member and then as Chairperson from May 16, 2023.

His resignation, effective earlier this month, came nearly five years before his term was scheduled to end in 2029 and was cited as being for “personal reasons.”

Preeti Sudan brings a wealth of experience to her new role, with approximately 37 years in government administration. Her tenure as Union Health Secretary spanned from 2017 to July 2020, during which she played a pivotal role in the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in the final six months of her service.

Her career has also included significant positions within the ministries of Defense and Women and Child Development, as well as various roles in her home state cadre of Andhra Pradesh, covering areas such as finance, planning, disaster management, tourism, and agriculture.

In addition to her extensive domestic experience, Sudan has also worked internationally, having served as a consultant for the World Bank, further enriching her credentials as she prepares to lead the UPSC.