New Delhi: Union Public Service Commission chairperson Dr Manoj Soni, resigned on Saturday, stating personal reasons,though it has not yet been accepted, according to ANI.His stint as as member of UPSC is between 28 june 2017 and 15 May2023.
Dr. Sony expressed his desire for dedicating his rest of life on Socio-religious activities as a resson for his resignation,sources said.
Manoj Soni, a distinguished educationist aged 59, assumed the role of a member of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on June 28, 2017. He took the oath as the UPSC chairman on May 16, 2023, with his term originally set to conclude on May 15, 2029.
According to ANI sources, Soni had expressed his reluctance to become the UPSC chairman and had requested to be relieved of the position. However, his request was not granted at that time, the sources revealed.
The development holds significance in light of the UPSC’s announcement on Friday that it has filed a criminal case against Khedkar for falsifying her identity to fraudulently secure additional attempts in the civil services examination beyond the eligibility criteria. The UPSC has also initiated measures to bar her from future selections.
Following the revelation of Khedkar’s case, which involved the misuse of power and privileges, social media platforms have been flooded with claims and counter-claims regarding the use of fake certificates by serving Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) officers, among others.
Social media users have shared the names, photographs, and other details of several IAS and IPS officers, alleging that they utilized fraudulent certificates to claim benefits reserved for individuals belonging to the Other Backward Class (non-creamy layer) and Economically Weaker Sections (EWS).
Prior to his appointment to the UPSC, Soni had an impressive track record, having served three terms as Vice-Chancellor.
These include two consecutive terms from August 1, 2009, to July 31, 2015, as the Vice-Chancellor of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University (BAOU) in Gujarat, and one term as the Vice-Chancellor of The Maharaja Sayajirao University (MSU) of Baroda from April 2005 to April 2008.
When Soni joined MSU, he held the distinction of being the youngest Vice-Chancellor in India at that time.
Soni, a political science scholar with a specialization in international relations, taught international relations at Sardar Patel University (SPU), Vallabh Vidyanagar, from 1991 to 2016, excluding the periods when he served as Vice-Chancellor of the two universities.
Soni has received numerous recognitions and awards and has a substantial number of publications to his credit.
The UPSC is led by a chairman and can have a maximum of ten members. Currently, there are seven members in the UPSC, which is three less than its sanctioned strength.
