Former Union Health Secretary and AP Cadre retired IAS officer Preeti Sudan will take charge as the Chairperson of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on August 1 under Article 316 A of the Constitution.
Sudan is currently a member of the Commission. She will take over from Manoj Soni who resigned a few days ago due to “personal reasons”. She will have a tenure till April 2025, when she turns 65.
Soni resigned almost five years before his tenure ended in 2029. He joined the Commission as a Member in 2017, and was sworn-in as the Chairperson on May 16, 2023. His resignation came amidst the ongoing controversy regarding UPSC candidates securing employment by presenting fake certificates.
Preeti Sudan, an IAS Officer of the 1983 batch from the Andhra Pradesh cadre, has been appointed as the Chairperson of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). Sudan retired as Union Health Secretary in July 2020, bringing nearly 37 years of extensive experience in various spheres of government administration.
During her tenure as Union Health Secretary, she played a crucial role in handling the COVID-19 pandemic. Sudan has also served as Secretary of the Department of Food & Public Distribution and held significant positions in the Women & Child Development and Defence Ministries. Her state-level experience includes roles in Finance & Planning, Disaster Management, Tourism, and Agriculture.
Sudan holds an M.Phil in Economics and an M.Sc. in Social Policy and Planning from the London School of Economics (LSE). She has contributed to several national programs, including initiating the flagship programs Beti Bachao Beti Padhao and Ayushman Bharat. Her efforts led to significant legislation such as the National Medical Commission and the ban on e-cigarettes.
Sudan has served as a consultant with the World Bank and held prominent positions such as Chair of COP-8 of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and Vice Chair of the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health.
She was also Chair of the Global Digital Health Partnership and a member of WHO’s Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response. She joined the Union Public Service Commission as a member on November 29, 2022, before her recent appointment as Chairperson.