Arvind Saxena has been appointed as Chairman of Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), which conducts examination to select bureaucrats, diplomats and police officers.

President Ram Nath Kovind has cleared Saxena's appointment as the UPSC chairman, said the statement issued by the Personnel Ministry. According to the release, the term of his appointment will be till 7th of August, 2020 when he attains 65 years.

He has been working as acting head of the UPSC since June 20 after Vinay Mittal's tenure as the Chairman was over.

Saxena joined UPSC as a member on May 8, 2015. Prior to joining the UPSC, he was working as director of the Aviation Research Centre (ARC).

A student of Civil Engineering at the Delhi College of Engineering besides M.Tech. in Systems Management from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), New Delhi, Saxena was selected for the Civil Services and joined the Indian Postal Service in 1978. In 1988, Shri Saxena started working at the Cabinet Secretariat, where he specialised in the study of strategic developments in neighbouring countries. Shri Saxena has served in different countries and in the States of Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh.

A recipient of Awards for Meritorious Services (2005) and Distinguished Services (2012), Saxena has travelled extensively in India and abroad.