UPSC Chairman: Eligibility, Tenure, Salary, Powers and Functions

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is India’s premier central recruitment agency, responsible for appointing all Group ‘A’ officers within the Government of India. Dr. Manoj Soni is the current UPSC Chairman, having assumed office in April 2022. This article will explore the tenure, salary, and appointment process of the UPSC Chairman in India.

An Overview of UPSC

The Union Public Service Commission, a constitutional entity in India, is responsible for the direct recruitment of officers to All India Services and Central Civil Services (Groups A and B) through examinations. The UPSC also appoints officers to various government services under the purview of the Government of India. The management of personnel falls under the Department of Personnel and Training. The UPSC is headquartered in Dholpur House, New Delhi, and operates with its own administrative body. Originally founded on October 1, 1926, as the Public Service Commission, it underwent restructuring as the Federal Public Service Commission according to the Government of India Act 1935. Following independence, it was renamed the Union Public Service Commission.

An Overview of UPSC Chairman

Here are some details about the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Chairman:

Appointed by: President of India
Tenure: 6 years or 65 years of age
Eligibility: Experience of at least 10 years in the Central or State services
Salary: Rs.30 lakhs per annum
First Chairman: Sir Ross Barker (1926)
First Indian UPSC Chairman: H. K. Kriplani (1947)
First Female UPSC Chairman: Rose Millian Bathew (1992)
Current UPSC Chairman: Dr. Manoj Soni

Current UPSC Chairman

On April 5th, 2022, Dr. Manoj Soni took over as the Chairman of UPSC, succeeding Pradeep Kumar Joshi. Dr. Manoj Soni, born on February 17, 1965, in Mumbai (Maharashtra), was previously a professor at Sardar Patel University (SPU), Vallabh Vidhyanagar. In 2015, he was honored with the World Education Congress Global Award for his leadership in distance learning by the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants in London, UK.

Eligibility of a UPSC Chairman

No specific qualification is mentioned in the Constitution of India for the Chairman and its members, but it mandates that 50% of the members of the UPSC should be individuals who have held government office for at least 10 years.

Tenure of a UPSC Chairman

The tenure of the UPSC Chairman is defined as follows:

The Chairman and members of the UPSC serve for six years or until they reach the age of 65, whichever comes first.
If the position becomes vacant or the Chairman is unable to perform duties, the responsibilities are temporarily assigned until a new appointment is made or the Chairman resumes duties.
According to Article 317, the Chairman or any other member can only be dismissed by the President on the grounds of misbehavior after an inquiry by the Supreme Court.

Salary Structure of the UPSC Chairman

The salary of the UPSC Chairman is paid from the Consolidated Fund of India. The details of the salary structure are as follows:

Post: UPSC Chairman
Pay Level: Pay Level 17
Salary: ₹30 lakhs per annum
Allowances: House Rent Allowance, Dearness Allowance, and Travel Allowance

Powers and Functions of a UPSC Chairman

According to Article 320 of the Constitution of India, the UPSC must be consulted on various matters concerning the recruitment to civil services and posts. The responsibilities of the UPSC and its Chairman under this article include:

Organising examinations for selecting candidates for Union services.
Carrying out direct recruitment through interviews.
Appointing officers through promotion, deputation, or absorption.
Formulating and revising Recruitment Rules for different government services and positions.
Handling disciplinary matters pertaining to various Civil Services.
Providing advice to the Government on any issue referred to the UPSC Members by the President of India.