Singh is at present the director of National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), Bengaluru.
He has been appointed the UGC chairman for a period of five years, according to the order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).
The post of UGC chief had been lying vacant since April 2017 after the retirement of Professor Ved Prakash.
At present, Prof. Virander Singh Chauhan, UGC member, is officiating as the chairperson of the regulatory body for higher education institutions.