Union Public Service Commission / UPSC Chairman Manoj Soni resigned, left the post before completion of tenure

Union Public Service Commission: Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Chairman Manoj Soni has resigned. He has sent his resignation to the President before the completion of his tenure. According to the information, Soni has resigned due to personal reasons. He resigned in the last week of June. At present, official information about his resignation being accepted has not been revealed. Manoj Soni's tenure was to end in 2029, before that he resigned. Soni joined UPSC as a member in 2017. On 16 May 2023, he was made the Chairman of the Union Public Service Commission. According to sources, Manoj Soni wants to give more time to Anupam Mission, a branch of the Swaminarayan sect in Gujarat.

Soni resigned due to personal reasons

After receiving initiation in 2020, he became a sadhu or nishkam karmayogi within the mission. Sources say that the issue of Manoj Soni's resignation is not related to IAS Pooja Khedkar. He has resigned due to his personal reasons. Dr. Soni, who has been the Vice Chancellor thrice, has the record of being the youngest Vice Chancellor. In 2005, he became the youngest university Vice Chancellor of the country.

Soni became Vice Chancellor at the age of 40

Manoj Soni is considered close to Prime Minister Modi. It is also said that Modi himself appointed Soni as the Vice Chancellor of MS University of Vadodara in 2005. At the time of his appointment, Soni was only 40 years old. Before joining the Union Public Service Commission, Soni served as Vice Chancellor for three terms in two universities in Gujarat.

Rahul had raised questions on Soni's appointment

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi had raised questions on Manoj Soni's appointment. Rahul had called Soni's becoming the UPSC Chairman an attack on the Constitution. He had described Soni as close to the RSS. The Congress leader had said that Manoj Soni's becoming the chairman means that UPSC will become the Union Pracharak Sangh Commission instead of the Union Public Service Commission.

'Manoj Soni was not keen to become UPSC Chairman'

A source said, "The UPSC Chairman had submitted his resignation a fortnight ago citing personal reasons. It has not been accepted yet." Sources said that Soni was not keen to become UPSC Chairman and had requested to be relieved from the post. However, sources said that his request was not accepted then.

He said that Soni now wants to devote more time to "socio-religious activities".

Let us tell you that eminent educationist Manoj Soni (59) took over as a member of the commission on 28 June 2017. He was sworn in as UPSC Chairman on May 16, 2023. His term was to end on May 15, 2029. According to sources, Soni was not keen to become UPSC Chairman and had requested to be relieved from the post, but his request was not accepted then. He said Soni now wants to devote more time to "socio-religious activities". The development assumes significance as the UPSC on Friday said it has initiated several actions against probationary IAS officer Pooja Khedkar, including filing an FIR against her for allegedly using fake identity documents to get more chances to appear in the civil services exam.

Ever since the case of Khedkar's misuse of power and privileges came to light, social media is abuzz with claims and counter-claims about the use of fake certificates by Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) officers.