Dr. Ajay Kumar Takes Charge as UPSC Chairman
Dr. Ajay Kumar Takes Charge as UPSC Chairman
In addition to his extensive public service and contributions to e-Governance, Dr. Ajay Kumar has authored several publications in national and international journals.
By RMN News Service
May 15, 2025
New Delhi – Dr. Ajay Kumar, formerly the Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, assumed office as the Chairman of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) today (May 15). The oath of office and secrecy was administered by Lt.Gen. Raj Shukla (Retd.), the senior most Member of the Commission.
Dr. Ajay Kumar’s career spans over thirty-five years. He is a member of the 1985 batch of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), belonging to the Kerala Cadre. Throughout his career, he has held key positions in both the State Government of Kerala and at the Centre. His important assignments in Kerala included roles such as Managing Director of the Electronics and Information Technology Department and Principal Secretary of the Information Technology Department.
At the Centre, Dr. Kumar held significant portfolios including Director, Science & Technology; Joint Secretary, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology; Director General, National Informatics Centre; Additional Secretary, Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology; and Secretary, Defence Production. His last assignment before taking on the UPSC chairmanship was serving as Secretary, Ministry of Defence.
Academically, Dr. Ajay Kumar holds a B.Tech. in Electrical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur. He furthered his studies in the United States, earning an M.S. in Applied Economics and a Ph.D. in Business Administration, both from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management. Amity University also conferred upon him an Honorary Doctor of Philosophy in 2019.
Dr. Ajay Kumar assumes charge as Chairman, Union Public Service Commission
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Dr. Kumar has been a key figure in introducing several e-Governance initiatives. These include prominent projects such as “Jeevan Pramaan” (digital life certificates for pensioners), myGov, Pragati (the Prime Minister’s video conference system), the Bio-metric Attendance System, and the OPD Registration System in AIIMS. He was also instrumental in the “Cloud First” policy for the Government, which aims to utilise Cloud Service Providers.
In addition to his extensive public service and contributions to e-Governance, Dr. Ajay Kumar has authored several publications in national and international journals. He has also been recognised with several awards throughout his career. These include the “Silver Elephant” medallion by National Scouts and Guides in 1994, the “Electronics Leader of the Year” for 2012 for promoting the electronics industry, the “Technovation Sarabhai Award” by India Electronics & Semiconductor Association in 2015, and the “Champion of Change” by the Consumer Electronics & Appliances Manufacturers Association in 2017.
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