Amid Puja Khedkar row, UPSC chief Manoj Soni quits 5 years before term ends

NEW DELHI: UPSC chairman Manoj Soni has tendered his resignation barely a year into his six-year tenure, citing "personal reasons". The news of his resignation, believed to have been submitted to the President some time back, comes amid the controversy over IAS probationer Puja Khedkar's selection to the civil services based on forged identity, which had on Friday led UPSC to file a police complaint against her.
Govt sources, however, told TOI that Soni's resignation was not linked in any way to the Khedkar episode. "The resignation was submitted almost a month ago, well before the IAS probationer's selection became a matter of probe," an officer told TOI.
There is no clarity on whether govt has taken any call yet on accepting Soni's resignation. A source indicated that govt may be mulling over a suitable replacement before relieving Soni.
Soni, who had joined UPSC as a member in 2017 and took over as its chairman last year, is said to be keen to step down to devote more time to "socio-religious" activities. Reports indicated that he wants to give his undivided time to serving the Anoopam Mission, a non-profit organization linked to the Swaminarayan sect that he is deeply involved with. The resignation is also said to have mentioned health reasons, according to a source.
Soni, an academician considered close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, became the vice-chancellor of his alma mater Maharaja Sayajirao University, Baroda, in 2005. Only 40 years then, he was the youngest ever vice-chancellor in India. Later from 2009 to 2015, Soni was vice-chancellor of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University, Gujarat for two terms.
Controversies rocked his tenure at MSU with the biggest being the infamous "obscenity row" of 2007 when objections were raised against a student's artworks, alleging they hurt religious sentiments. Soni suspended a professor for not abiding by his directives to close the exhibition.
Though a governor-appointed committee recommended Panikkar's suspension be withdrawn with a mild reprimand, its report was not accepted.Instead, based on a departmental inquiry headed by a retired district judge, Panikkar was permanently suspended and his retirement benefits withheld.
Soni's tenure also witnessed controversies over appointments of six officers in a non-quorum meeting and admission of a student from a private college into the grant-in-aid Faculty of Technology and Engineering (FTE).
UPSC had on Friday filed an FIR with the Delhi Police against Puja Khedkar for having fraudulently availed of attempts at the Civil Services Exam (CSE) beyond the permissible limit by faking her identity.