Who is the first female head of UPSC?

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is a constitutional body established in India to conduct various examinations and recruitments for civil services and other positions in the government. It was formed on October 1, 1926, and since then, it has been responsible for selecting the best and most deserving candidates for various government posts.

The first female head of the UPSC was Alka Sirohi, who was appointed as the chairperson of the commission in January 2015. She succeeded Deepak Gupta and served as the head of the commission for almost three years until her retirement in August 2018.

Alka Sirohi was born on March 6, 1956, in Jaipur, Rajasthan. She completed her education in Delhi, where she obtained a master's degree in Political Science from Delhi University. She later pursued her Ph.D. in Political Science from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi.

Sirohi began her career as a lecturer of Political Science at Delhi University and later joined JNU as a faculty member. She also worked as a senior research fellow at the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) and as a member of the National Commission for Women.

In 1991, Sirohi joined the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and was allotted the Rajasthan cadre. During her tenure as an IAS officer, she served in various capacities, including as District Magistrate of Bhilwara, Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Jaipur, and Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Sirohi's administrative skills and her ability to work in diverse fields earned her a reputation as an efficient and competent officer. Her work in the Ministry of Home Affairs, where she was responsible for the implementation of the National Policy on Disaster Management, was particularly noteworthy.

In 2012, Sirohi was appointed as a member of the UPSC. She served as a member of the commission for almost three years before being appointed as its chairperson in January 2015. As the head of the commission, Sirohi was responsible for conducting various examinations, including the Civil Services Examination, the Indian Forest Service Examination, and the Combined Defense Services Examination.

Under her leadership, the UPSC introduced several new initiatives and reforms to streamline the recruitment process and ensure transparency and fairness in the selection of candidates. She also played an active role in promoting the use of technology in the examination process and making it more accessible to candidates from remote areas.

Sirohi's tenure as the head of the UPSC was marked by several significant achievements. One of the most noteworthy was the introduction of the Common Recruitment Test (CRT), which aimed to reduce the burden of multiple examinations on candidates and streamline the recruitment process. She also oversaw the implementation of the National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) in the examination process, which ensured that the skills and qualifications of candidates were evaluated in a more standardized and structured manner.

During her tenure, Sirohi also focused on improving the gender balance in the selection of candidates for various posts. She emphasized the importance of creating a level playing field for women and other marginalized communities and worked towards ensuring that the recruitment process was free from bias and discrimination.

In recognition of her contributions to public service and her achievements as the head of the UPSC, Sirohi has received several awards and accolades. In 2018, she was awarded the Padma Shri, one of the highest civilian honors in India, for her contributions to public service.

In conclusion, Alka Sirohi was the first female head of the UPSC, who made significant contributions to the commission during her tenure. She was an efficient and competent officer, who brought in several reforms to streamline the recruitment process and make it more transparent and fair.