New Delhi, May 14, 2025 — Dr. Ajay Kumar, a distinguished retired IAS officer of the 1985 Kerala cadre and former Defence Secretary of India, has been appointed as the new Chairman of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). His appointment marks a significant development in the functioning of India’s premier recruiting agency for civil services and allied services under the Government of India.
A technocrat by training and a civil servant by experience, Dr. Kumar brings with him over three decades of administrative leadership. During his tenure as Defence Secretary, he was widely recognized for championing key reforms in defence procurement and promoting indigenous defence manufacturing under the ‘Make in India’ initiative.
Dr. Kumar has also held pivotal roles in various departments, including the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, where he played a strategic role in promoting digital governance and innovation in public administration.
His appointment is expected to lend a forward-looking perspective to the UPSC, particularly in enhancing transparency, modernization of recruitment processes, and fostering merit-based selections across services.
Dr. Kumar succeeds the outgoing Chairman, and his term is set to guide the UPSC through a period marked by evolving administrative challenges and the growing importance of technology and policy convergence in governance.
With this new responsibility, Dr. Ajay Kumar is set to once again contribute significantly to the nation-building process, this time by shaping the future cadre of India’s civil services.
