Ajay Kumar, former Defence Secretary, has been appointed as the chairman of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
His appointment was approved by President Droupadi Murmu, filling the vacancy left by Preeti Sudan, whose tenure ended on April 29, 2025.
Kumar, a retired IAS officer from the Kerala cadre (1985 batch), previously served as the Defence Secretary from August 2019 to October 2022. He brings extensive administrative experience to the role, where he will oversee the prestigious UPSC exams that select officers for services such as the IAS, IFS, and IPS.
The UPSC, which can have up to ten members, currently faces two vacancies. Kumar’s tenure will last six years or until he reaches the age of 65, ensuring a period of stability and leadership in civil services recruitment.
