IAS officer Vineet Joshi appointed acting UGC chairperson

Following the retirement of Professor Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar on April 7, 2025, the Ministry of Education appointed Vineet Joshi as the acting Chairperson of the University Grants Commission (UGC).

Joshi will continue in this role, in addition to his position as Secretary of the Department of Higher Education, until a permanent appointment is made or further notice is issued.

Vineet Joshi, a 1992-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from the Manipur cadre, has an extensive background in educational administration.

He holds a Bachelor of Technology in Mechanical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, a Master of Business Administration in International Business from the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) in New Delhi, where he graduated as a gold medalist, and a PhD in Quality Management from the same institution.

"Dr Vineet Joshi, Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education is hereby entrusted the additional charge of the post of Chairman, UGC till the appointment of a regular Chairman, UGC or till he ceases to be Member, UGC or until further orders, whichever is the earliest,” reads the official notification by The Ministry of Education.

Before his current role, Joshi served as the Chief Secretary of Manipur from July 2023 to December 2024. He was appointed Secretary of the Department of Higher Education in January 2024.

His prior experience includes serving as the Director General of the National Testing Agency (NTA) from December 2019 to November 2020, where he oversaw key national-level entrance examinations such as NEET, JEE Main, and UGC NET, enhancing standardization and efficiency in the testing process.

Joshi also served as the Chairman of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) from February 2010 to November 2014, implementing significant reforms like the Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation system to reduce student stress and promote holistic development.

Professor Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar, who led the UGC from February 2022, was instrumental in introducing the Central University Entrance Test (CUET) for admissions to undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

He also played a pivotal role in advancing the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, driving structural and academic reforms within India's university system.

Vineet Joshi's appointment as acting UGC Chairperson is viewed as a strategic move to ensure continuity in the implementation of educational reforms and policies.

His extensive experience across various educational sectors positions him well to uphold and advance the initiatives set forth by his predecessors.