The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is India’s premier central recruiting body responsible for selecting candidates for Group A services under the Government of India. Functioning under the authority of the President, UPSC operates through constitutional provisions and advises the government on matters related to recruitment and appointments. As per Article 316 of the Indian Constitution, the Chairman of the UPSC oversees all recruitment processes, reviews the commission’s previous work, and approves key policy decisions. Recently, Dr. Ajay Kumar, a retired 1985-batch IAS officer and former Defence Secretary, was appointed as the new UPSC Chairman by the Government of India. He assumed office on May 15, 2025, and will serve till October 2027 or until he turns 65, whichever is earlier. With his extensive administrative experience, Dr. Kumar becomes the 35th Chairman of the Commission. The UPSC Chairman list, which records all past and present Chairpersons, is an important topic in Static GK and frequently appears in various competitive exams. Aspirants are advised to review the complete UPSC Chairman list provided in this article to enhance their exam preparation and better understand the leadership history and responsibilities of the UPSC.

A little about the history of UPSC - 

Originally known as the Public Service Commission when it was founded on October 1st, 1926, it was then reconstructed as the Federal Public Service Commission by the "Government of India Act 1935" before being renamed the Union Public Service Commission that it is known as today following the country's independence. The President of India will appoint the UPSC chairman and the other members.

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Free Download Quiz on List of UPSC Chairman

In India, several UPSC members are appointed to the position of commission chairman in their respective tenure. As it is a crucial subject for individuals preparing for various competitive examinations, we have mentioned the list of UPSC Chairman along with their employment term in this section. You can check it out: 

What is the Role of a UPSC Chairman?

In the section below, we have included a number of list of UPSC Chairman positions. Read on for additional information about the UPSC Chairman's position within the commission:

• Conducting exams to seek out applicants for "Group A" services under the Indian government.
• Direct hiring followed by interview selection.
• Officer appointments based on promotions, deputations, or incorporations.
• The creation and modification of recruitment regulations for various government services and positions.
• Disciplinary matters involving several Civil Services.
• Advising the government on any issue that the commission has been asked to look into by the President of India.

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Who can Become a UPSC Chairman?

Becoming a UPSC Chairman s not an easy feat, a candidate will have to persevere to be at this highest level of government job. The specifics of how a person can become the UPSC Chairman of India have been covered in this section.

• A member of a State Public Service Commission other than the Chairman shall be eligible for appointment as the Chairman or any other member of the Union Public Service Commission or as the Chairman of that State Public Service Commission or any other State Public Service Commission, but not for any other employment under the Government of India or under the Government of a State.
• The President of India may designate any eligible member of the UPSC to serve as chairman of the commission.

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What is the Tenure of a UPSC Chairman? 

The Indian Constitution does not specify the length of the UPSC Chairman's term; you may read the following space for more information:

• The Chairman of the UPSC and its members maintain their positions for a period of six years or until they reach the age of 65.
• If the position of Chairman of the Commission becomes vacant or if any Chairman is unable to perform the duties of his office due to absence or for any other reason, those duties shall, until the Chairman has resumed his duties or until someone appointed under clause (1) to the vacant office has assumed those duties.
• According to Article 317, the Chairman or any other member of a Public Service Commission may only be dismissed from their position by the President on the basis of "misbehavior" after the Supreme Court, upon the President's referral to it, has concluded after inquiry that the Chairman or such other member should be dismissed. Until he receives the Supreme Court's results, the President may suspend the Chairman or another Commission member.[10]
• The Chairman or any other member of the committee may also be dismissed by the President if:
• is/are declared insolvent.
• any paid occupation outside of their official duties throughout their tenure in office.
• is/are, in the president's judgement, physically or mentally unable to hold public office.
• The Chairman or any other member cannot have a position of profit, or else they would be considered to have acted improperly.

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Current UPSC Chairman

Up to the present day in 2025, a total of 35 Members have presided over the UPSC. On May 15th, 2025, Dr. Ajay Kumar replaced Ms. Preeti Sudan as Chairman of the UPSC. The following information is provided on the Union Public Service Commission's current chairman:

• The Union Public Service Commission is presently led by Dr. Ajay Kumar.
• Dr. Kumar is a retired 1985-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from the Kerala cadre. He previously served as the Defence Secretary of India and held senior roles in the Ministries of Defence and Electronics & Information Technology.
• The tenure of Dr. Ajay Kumar will extend until October 1, 2027, or until he attains the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.
• He is the UPSC’s 35th chairman.

Salary Structure of the UPSC Chairman

The Salary of the Chairman of UPSC in India is bore by Consolidated funds of India. In this section, we have provided the list of UPSC Chairman salary structure for your reference.

Along with the salary structure the Chairman of UPSC will get vvarious allowances which we have mentioned below: