New Delhi: Former Defence Secretary and 1985-batch Kerala cadre IAS officer Ajay Kumar has been appointed as the Chairman of the Union Public Service Commission. The Union Ministry of Personnel issued the appointment orders late Tuesday night.
Ajay Kumar replaces Preeti Sudan, whose term ended on April 29. According to the orders, Kumar's appointment has been approved by President Droupadi Murmu. Kumar served as Defence Secretary from August 23, 2019 to October 31, 2022.
The UPSC, which conducts civil services examinations to select officers for services including IAS, Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and Indian Police Service (IPS), is headed by a chairman and can have a maximum of 10 members. A UPSC chairman is appointed for a term of six years or till the age of 65.