Who is Manoj Soni: UPSC Chairman Who Resigned 5 Years Before End of His Term Due to ‘Spiritual Calling’

Manoj Soni resigns as UPSC chairman: Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) chairman Manoj Soni made headlines on Saturday by resigning five years before the end of his term in 2029. In his resignation letter, Soni cited “personal reasons” for his resignation. According to PTI reports, Soni submitted his resignation a few weeks ago, but it has not yet been accepted by the top authorities.

It is important to note that Soni’s resignation has nothing to do with any controversies or allegations surrounding the UPSC, including the issue surrounding probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar, as official sources have clarified.

Who is Manoj Soni?
Dr. Manoj Soni, now former Chairman of UPSC, has an extensive academic background and has served three terms as Vice-Chancellor. He completed two consecutive terms as Vice-Chancellor of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University (BAOU) from 1 August 2009 to 31 July 2015 and one term as Vice-Chancellor of The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda from April 2005 to April 2008.

Soni, known for his close ties to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, became the vice-chancellor of his alma mater, Maharaja Sayajirao University, Baroda, in 2005. At the age of 40, he was the youngest vice-chancellor in India. Dr. Soni, a political science scholar with a specialization in international relations, taught international relations at Sardar Patel University (SPU), Vallabh Vidyanagar, from 1991 to 2016, except during his terms as vice-chancellor.

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His tenure at the UPSC began on June 28, 2017, when he became a member of the commission. He took oath as Chairman on May 16, 2023, bringing his expertise and administrative skills to one of India’s most prestigious institutions responsible for recruiting candidates for top government services like IAS, IPS and IFS. Dr. Soni has received several awards and recognitions, including the rare honour of “Honorary Mayor-President of the City of Baton Rouge” in 2013 for his exemplary leadership in empowering underprivileged sections of the society with IT literacy.

Why did UPSC chairman Manoj Soni resign?
Soni, who joined the UPSC in 2017 and became its chairman last year, is said to be keen to step down to devote more time to ‘socio-religious’ activities. According to a TOI report, Soni wants to devote his time to serving the Anoopam Mission, a non-profit organisation affiliated with the Swaminarayan sect he is closely associated with.

In 2020, Soni formalized his commitment to the mission by ‘diccha’ or swear like a ‘nishkarma karmayogi’ or selfless worker, become a ‘monk’ and further solidify his dedication to the ideals of the mission. Soni tendered his resignation nearly four weeks ago, according to reports, expressing his desire to focus on these socio-religious commitments.