UPSC chair Manoj Soni resigns citing personal reasons; Khedkar issue behind decision, Congress says

New Delhi: UPSC Chairman Manoj Soni has submitted his resignation citing personal reasons five years before the end of his tenure, with the Congress on Saturday asking the Modi government to “come clean” on the issue even as officials insisted that his decision was “not connected” to the controversies surrounding the premier recruitment body.

While 59-year-old Soni is learned to have cited his desire to pursue “socio-religious” activities, Congress claimed that it appeared that he had to be “nudged out” given the controversy over the case of probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar against whom the UPSC has initiated action accusing her of faking her identity to get selected to civil services.

Soni, who is considered close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, submitted his resignation earlier this month citing that he wanted to devote more time to socio-religious activities but the government has not indicated about its acceptance.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said Modi and Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh “must come clean” as “numerous cases of unqualified individuals faking caste and medical certificates seemed to have duped a ‘foolproof’ system”.

“It is disconcerting how the UPSC Chairperson has resigned prematurely, five years before his term ends. Why was his resignation kept secret for a month? Is there any connection between the numerous scandals and the resignation? This ‘blue-eyed-gem’ of Modi-ji was brought in from Gujarat and promoted to being the Chairperson of UPSC,” Kharge said.

Officials said Soni (59), who has tenure as UPSC Chairman till 15 May, 2029, was not keen to assume chairmanship last year and had asked the government to relieve him from UPSC in which he was a member from 28 June, 2017. Soni had taken oath as the UPSC Chairman on 16 May, 2023.

Soni was appointed Vice Chancellor of The Maharaja Sayajirao University (MSU) of Baroda from April 2005, the youngest to assume the post in the country when Modi was Gujarat Chief Minister. He was also Vice-Chancellor of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University from August 2009 to July 2015.

The reports about Soni's resignation came a day after the UPSC said it has lodged an FIR against Khedkar for faking her identity to fraudulently avail attempts in the civil services examination beyond eligibility and taken steps to debar her from future selections.

Kharge alleged that the BJP-RSS is systematically indulging in an institutional takeover of India's Constitutional bodies, thereby “damaging their reputation, integrity and autonomy”.

Emphasising that multiple scandals that have plagued the UPSC is a cause of national concern, he said this is a direct affront to the genuine aspirations of lakhs of aspirants, including SC, ST, OBC, EWS candidates who work hard, burning midnight oil in preparing for the Civil Services Examinations.

“Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel-ji had referred to the civil servants as the 'Steel frame of India', but Modi Govt's desperate attempt to control every aspect of governance has punched holes in the same! This needs to be thoroughly investigated at the highest level so that such cases of fraudulent malpractices in UPSC admissions don’t happen in the future,” he said.

Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh said, “The sanctity, character, autonomy, and professionalism of all Constitutional bodies have been badly damaged since 2014. But at times even the self-anointed non-biological PM is forced to say enough in enough. Modi brought in one of his favourite 'academics' from Gujarat as a UPSC member in 2017 and made him Chairman in 2023 with a six year term.”

“But this so-called distinguished gentleman has now resigned five years before the expiry of his term. Whatever the reasons that may be given, it appears clear that he had to be nudged out given the current controversy in which the UPSC is involved. Many more such characters have populated the system. Why is the Chairman of the NTA untouched so far, for example?” he posted on 'X'.

Soni, a scholar of political science, taught international relations at Sardar Patel University (SPU), Vallabh Vidyanagar between 1991 and 2016, except for the period when he served as Vice-Chancellor of the two universities.