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May 15, 2025 — Dr. Ajay Kumar, a distinguished former Defence Secretary and senior bureaucrat, assumed office as the Chairman of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) today. The oath of office and secrecy was administered by Lt. Gen. Raj Shukla (Retd.), the senior-most member of the Commission.
A 1985-batch IAS officer from the Kerala cadre, Dr. Kumar has had a remarkable administrative career spanning over 35 years, marked by leadership roles in both state and central governments. His academic background includes a B.Tech in Electrical Engineering from IIT Kanpur, an M.S. in Applied Economics, and a Ph.D. in Business Administration from the University of Minnesota, USA.
Dr. Kumar’s tenure in government service includes key positions such as Principal Secretary in Kerala’s Information Technology Department, and top roles at the Centre including Director General of the National Informatics Centre and Secretary, Defence Production. As Defence Secretary, he played a pivotal role in policy formulation and modernisation initiatives.
Renowned for spearheading several major e-governance reforms, Dr. Kumar led the development of innovative platforms like Jeevan Pramaan (digital life certificate), MyGov, Pragati, and the biometric attendance system. His efforts have significantly contributed to digital transformation in public service delivery.
His achievements have earned him numerous accolades including the “Electronics Leader of the Year” (2012), “Technovation Sarabhai Award” (2015), and the “Champion of Change” award (2017), underscoring his impact on governance and technology promotion.
As UPSC Chairman, Dr. Kumar is expected to bring in a modern, reform-driven approach to India’s civil services examination system, aligning it with the evolving demands of public administration in a digital and dynamic India.