”A little predictability is always better than absolute uncertainty”
This post acquaints you with all the board members of the UPSC which not only is imperative for your last smooth sail amid rough waters of year-long struggle but also would help you stay ready and prepare well for your life’s most crucial 30-40 mins of time period i.e. UPSC interview.
The commission has nine members including the chairman, who are:
Arvind Saxena (Chairman) – Civil Engineer
A student of Civil Engineering at the Delhi College of Engineering besides M.Tech. in Systems Management from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), New Delhi, Shri Saxena was selected for the Civil Services and joined the Indian Postal Service in 1978.
Prior to joining UPSC as Member, Shri Saxena was working as Director of the Aviation Research Centre (ARC).
In 1988, Shri Saxena started working at the Cabinet Secretariat, where he specialised in the study of strategic developments in neighbouring countries.
Shri Saxena has served in different countries and in the States of Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh.
A recipient of Awards for Meritorious Services (2005) and Distinguished Services (2012), Shri Saxena has travelled extensively in India and abroad.
Pradeep Kumar Joshi – Commerce
Professor Joshi has been an eminent researcher and educationist having more than 28 years of teaching experience.
He has served as Chairman, Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission and also Chairman, Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission. He also served as Director, National Institute of Educational Planning & Administration (NIEPA).
Prof. Joshi did his Post Graduate Degree in Commerce in 1977 and Ph.D. Degree in Commerce in 1981 from Kanpur University, Kanpur. Professor Joshi has been in the field of education for more than 28 years. He served as the Professor, Head & Dean, Faculty of Management Studies, Rani Durgavati University, Jabalpur (MP).
He has been the Member of various National and State Level Committees under the Govt of India: Commemoration of 50th Anniversary of Indian Republic in Ministry of Culture, Reform in Education under the Ministry of HRD, National Resource Group for Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan [SSA], Former Member, Teacher Education Approval Board, Former Member, Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE).
He specialized in the field of Financial Management, Financial Control, Management Accounting, Taxation, Rural Development Management, Management in Panchayati Raj Institution & Khadi Gramodyog etc.
Bhim Sain Bassi (IPS) – Commerce
He is a Commerce graduate from Delhi’s Shri Ram College of Commerce and has pursued a degree in law. Shri Bassi was a 1977 Batch IPS (Indian Police Service) Officer of AGMUT Cadre (Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram and Union Territories). In October, 1984, he was posted to Delhi where he served till 1993. Shri Bassi was on deputation to the Intelligence Bureau from 1993 to 1998.
In the year 2009, Shri Bassi was appointed as DGP, Goa, where he served till 2011. During this period he took a number of initiatives, which included free registration of crimes, setting up of a modern Police Control Room and revamping of the Commando unit of Goa Police. On July 31, 2013, Shri Bassi was appointed as the Commissioner of Police, Delhi.
He headed the 85,000-strong Delhi Police for over two-and-a-half years till February, 2016. Shri Bassi took a number of steps to enhance use of digital technology in policing. In particular, Himmat App for women safety and e-FIR Apps for lodging auto thefts and other thefts stand out in this regard. He took effective steps to eliminate ‘burking’ i.e. non-registration/minimization of reported crimes. Consequently, recording of FIRs in Delhi during his tenure exhibited a very healthy increase.
A. S. Bhonsle (IAF)
He was born on 15.02.1957. He has done M.Sc., MBA and M. Phil from National Defence Academy, Defence Services Staff College, College of Defence Management and National Institute of Defence Studies, Japan.
He has rich and varied experience in Command and Staff appointments during the 39 years of service in the IAF.
His forte is Flying Operations, Pre-commissioning Military Training & Education, Infrastructure development, Counter Intelligence, Capacity Building of Training Institutions, Defence Civilian Personnel Management, Cyber Security and Aviation Safety.
He is the recipient of two Presidential Awards:- Vishisht Seva Medal and Ati Vishisht Seva Medal.
On taking over as the Chief Administrative Officer he immediately initiated electricity saving measures by way of sky lighting of buildings, improvement in power factor, use of energy efficient lamps and strict regulation of security and street lighting.
The officer has demonstrated exemplary organizing ability, meticulous planning & intelligent use of resources during the SU-30 MKI induction. He has efficiently marshalled the Station manpower in conjunction with the State Government agencies and Army Establishments to create a Station Park as a Rain Water Harvesting project and a well laid out jogger’s Park in the most economical manner.
Sujata Mehta (IFS) – Pol. Science
Ms. Sujata Mehta joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1980 after earning a Master of Philosophy degree in Political Science. At different points in time she served as Under Secretary, and as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, and as Deputy Secretary/Director, and later as Joint Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office.
She has also served in Indian Missions in Moscow, Dhaka and at UN in New York. She served on deputation to the UN in Gaza and in New York. She has been India’s Ambassador to Spain and Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva before returning to the Ministry of External Affairs in July 2013 as Additional Secretary and later Special Secretary.
Manoj Soni – Pol. Science
Dr. Soni has served three terms as Vice-Chancellor. These include two consecutive terms as Vice-Chancellor of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University (BAOU) and one term as Vice-Chancellor of The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda (The MSU of Baroda). At the time of his joining the MSU of Baroda, Dr. Soni was the youngest ever Vice-Chancellor in India and the MSU.
A scholar of Political Science with specialisation in International Relations Studies, Dr. Soni’s doctoral research is on the “Post-Cold War International Systemic Transition and Indo-U.S. Relations”. This is one of the earliest and one-of-its-kind studies during 1992 and 1995. This work was later published as a book entitled as “Understanding the Global Political Earthquake”.
More significantly in 2013, Dr. Soni was conferred with the rare honour of “Honorary Mayor-President of the City of Baton Rouge” by the Mayor-President of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S.A., for his exemplary leadership in empowering disadvantaged section of society with IT literacy. In 2015, the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, London, U.K., honoured Dr. Soni with the World Education Congress Global Award for Distance Learning Leadership.
Dr. Soni has in the past served on the Boards of Governors of several institutions of higher education and public administration. He was also a member of a quasi-judicial body constituted by an Act of the Gujarat Legislature, which regulates the fee structure of the un-aided professional intuitions in Gujarat.
Smita Nagaraj (IAS) – Pol. Science
Smt. Smita Nagaraj joined the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in 1984. She has over 33 years’ experience of public service in various positions in the Central Government as well as in the Government of Tamil Nadu.
She started her career in the Government of Tamil Nadu, where she held positions in various departments, including in the Energy, Finance, Health, Municipal Administration and Water Supply and Small Industries Departments. In Government of India, she has served in the Ministry of Defence, NSCS and in the Department of Personnel & Training.
She has also been Executive Director of the Central Social Welfare Board. Smt. Nagaraj completed her Masters in Political Science from Jawaharlal Nehru University in 1979 and a post graduate Diploma in Mass Communication from IIMC, Delhi.
M. Sathiyavathy (IAS) – Mathematics
Smt. M. Sathiyavathy who hails from Chennai, Tamil Nadu was born on 13th May, 1958. She is a Post Graduate & gold medalist in Mathematics from Indian Institute of Technology, Madras.
She then joined the Indian Revenue Service in 1981 and thereafter the Indian Administrative Service in 1982. Belonging to the Indian Administrative Service of 1982 batch of AGMUT cadre.
Bharat Bhushan Vyas- (IAS) – Botany
He was born on 15/11/1957 in Rajasthan. He has done B.Sc. (Botany). He joined Indian Administrative Service in 1986. He served in State & Centre in various capacities and retired as Chief Secretary, Jammu & Kashmir. Before assuming charge as Member, UPSC, he was serving as Adviser to the Governor, Jammu & Kashmir.
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