Senior IAS officer Vineet Joshi currently serving as Secretary in the Department of Higher Education, has been entrusted with the additional charge of Chairperson of the University Grants Commission (UGC).
The appointment comes as part of the government’s administrative decisions aimed at ensuring continuity and effective leadership within the higher education regulatory body. Mr. Joshi, who has held several key roles in the education sector over the years, brings with him a wealth of experience and policy insight.
His additional responsibility as UGC Chairperson is expected to support ongoing reforms and initiatives in India’s higher education landscape.
Who is IAS Vineet Joshi?
Mr. Vineet Joshi, a 1992-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Manipur cadre, has been a pivotal figure in India’s educational landscape. Born on November 2, 1968, in Prayagraj (formerly Allahabad), he pursued a B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering from IIT Kanpur and later obtained an MBA from the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), New Delhi.
Mr. Joshi commenced his civil service career in the Youth Affairs and Sports Department of Manipur. He later served as a Private Secretary in the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in 1999 and in the Ministry of Food Processing Industries from 2000 to 2001.
In 2010, Mr. Joshi was appointed Chairman of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), where he introduced the Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) system to modernize student assessments. He was reappointed to this position in 2022
From December 2019 to November 2020, he served as Director-General of the National Testing Agency (NTA), overseeing major entrance examinations like NEET, JEE Main, and UGC NET.
In May 2023, Mr. Joshi was appointed Chief Secretary of Manipur, where he worked to stabilize the region during a period of unrest. He served in this capacity until December 2024.
On January 16, 2025, he assumed the role of Secretary in the Department of Higher Education under the Ministry of Education. Subsequently, on April 11, 2025, he was given additional charge as Chairperson of the University Grants Commission (UGC).
