Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) chairman Manoj Soni has tendered resignation citing personal reasons. Soni’s resignation news came amid the exam commission facing serious criticism for its negligence in selecting candidates who misrepresented their caste, income and physical disability quotas for selection in the civil services. Soni’s tenure was supposed to end in 2029 but he resigned five years before the deadline.

“UPSC chairman Manoj Soni tenders resignation due to personal reasons. His resignation has not been accepted yet,” reported ANI citing Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) sources. Manoj Soni took charge as the UPSC chairman in 2023. He had joined the UPSC as a member in 2017. If reports are to be believed, Soni resigned almost a month ago, way before the Puja Khedkar controversy. 

As per reports, Soni, who received diksha or initiation from the Swaminarayan Sec in 2020, wants to devote more time to the sect’s Gujarat branch Anoopam Mission. Manoj Soni is considered close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. As the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Modi had appointed Soni as Vice Chancellor of MS University of Vadodara in 2005.

Since Soni resigned a month back, his resignation is not linked to the recent fake certificate controversy that erupted after Trainee IAS Puja Khedkar shot into the limelight for allegedly demanding VIP privilege. Khedkar is also accused of faking her OBC income and disability certificate. Yesterday, UPSC filed an FIR against her terming her ‘Fraud IAS’. The Puja Khedkar controversy led to social media users pointing out discrepencies in the selection of several IAS and IPS officers who allegedly fooled the UPSC using fake EWS, OBC and SC certificates.