President appoints Professor David Syiemlieh as UPSC Chairman

President Pranab Mukherjee, Monday, appointed well-known academician Professor David Reid Syiemlieh as the Chairman of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

The Press Information Bureau (PIB) released the following statement: “The President has appointed Prof. David R. Syiemlieh, Member, Union Public Service Commission, to perform the duties of the post of Chairman, Union Public Service Commission, with effect from the forenoon of January 4, 2017 till further orders or till completion of his term as member on 21.01.2018, whichever is earlier.”

63-year-old Syiemlieh was functioning as a UPSC member from June 25, 2012, and will succeed Alka Sirohi as the Chairman of the commission.

He is the second person from Meghalaya to be appointed as the head of UPSC after Rose Bathew Kharbuli, the first woman chairperson of the Commission, in early 1990s.

Prof Syiemlieh has previously served as Pro-Vice-Chancellor, North-Eastern Hill University and Vice-Chancellor of the Rajiv Gandhi University, Itanagar.