Former chief statistician T C A Anant assumes charge as UPSC member

Former chief statistician T C A Anant Monday assumed charge as a member of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), which conducts the prestigious civil services examination to select the country's bureaucrats, diplomats and police officers among others, according to an official statement.

He was administered the oath of office by UPSC chairman Arvind Saxena, it said.

Anant was appointed Chief Statistician of India-cum-Secretary, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, in June 2010 for five years. In 2015, he was given extension till January 31, 2018, the date of his superannuation on completion of 60 years of age.

Anant, who worked as a Professor in Delhi School of Economics for over a decade, was also a member of the task force on employment data creation set up by the Prime Minister's Office.

As per rules, a member of the UPSC can have a maximum of six-year tenure or till an incumbent attains the age of 65.

The commission has a strength of 10 members, besides a chairperson.

After Anant's appointment, the commission still has one more vacancy of a member.

Former Delhi Police Commissioner Bhim Sain Bassi, Prof. Pradeep Kumar Joshi, Air Marshal A S Bhonsle (retired), Sujata Mehta, Manoj Soni, Smita Nagaraj, M Sathiyavathy and Bharat Bhushan Vyas are members of the UPSC.

The commission conducts civil services examination annually in three stages -- preliminary, main and interview -- to select officers of Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) among others.