Movers & Shakers
Ajay Kumar, a retired IAS officer and former Defence Secretary, has been appointed as the new Chairman of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). His appointment was approved by President Droupadi Murmu, following the end of Preeti Sudan’s term on April 29.
Ajay Kumar is a 1985-batch IAS officer from the Kerala cadre. He served as the Defence Secretary of India from August 23, 2019, to October 31, 2022. During his time in the defence ministry, he led major reforms such as the creation of the Chief of Defence Staff post, the launch of the Agniveer scheme, and efforts under the AtmaNirbhar Bharat mission. He also played a key role in the corporatisation of Ordnance Factories.
Before his role in defence, Ajay Kumar worked with the Ministry of Electronics and IT. There, he helped drive several key initiatives under Prime Minister Modi’s Digital India programme. These included the rollout of UPI, Aadhaar, myGov, and the Government e-Marketplace. He was also the architect of the National Electronics Policy 2012, which boosted India’s electronics and mobile manufacturing sectors.
Kumar has served in various important roles in both the central government and the Kerala state government. These include positions like Principal Secretary and Managing Director of KELTRON, which he helped turn around.
His educational background is equally impressive. He holds a PhD in Business Administration and an MS in Applied Economics from the University of Minnesota, which he completed in just three years. He is also a BTech graduate from IIT Kanpur and a fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineers.
The UPSC is responsible for conducting the prestigious civil services exams to select officers for the IAS, IFS, IPS, and other top government services. The commission is led by a chairman and can have up to 10 members, though currently, there are two vacant member positions. A UPSC chairman serves for six years or until the age of 65, whichever comes first.
Ajay Kumar is a 1985-batch IAS officer from the Kerala cadre. He served as the Defence Secretary of India from August 23, 2019, to October 31, 2022. During his time in the defence ministry, he led major reforms such as the creation of the Chief of Defence Staff post, the launch of the Agniveer scheme, and efforts under the AtmaNirbhar Bharat mission. He also played a key role in the corporatisation of Ordnance Factories.
Before his role in defence, Ajay Kumar worked with the Ministry of Electronics and IT. There, he helped drive several key initiatives under Prime Minister Modi’s Digital India programme. These included the rollout of UPI, Aadhaar, myGov, and the Government e-Marketplace. He was also the architect of the National Electronics Policy 2012, which boosted India’s electronics and mobile manufacturing sectors.
Kumar has served in various important roles in both the central government and the Kerala state government. These include positions like Principal Secretary and Managing Director of KELTRON, which he helped turn around.
His educational background is equally impressive. He holds a PhD in Business Administration and an MS in Applied Economics from the University of Minnesota, which he completed in just three years. He is also a BTech graduate from IIT Kanpur and a fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineers.
The UPSC is responsible for conducting the prestigious civil services exams to select officers for the IAS, IFS, IPS, and other top government services. The commission is led by a chairman and can have up to 10 members, though currently, there are two vacant member positions. A UPSC chairman serves for six years or until the age of 65, whichever comes first.
See What’s Next in Tech With the Fast Forward Newsletter
Tweets From @varindiamag
Nothing to see here - yet
When they Tweet, their Tweets will show up here.
