The Rajya Sabha Chairperson list is a consistently tested topic in competitive exam polity sections — because the Vice President of India serves ex officio as the Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha.
Since the Rajya Sabha’s first sitting in 1952, India has had 15 Vice Presidents who have presided over the upper house of Parliament. Questions on their names, tenures, appointing elections, and constitutional roles appear in UPSC Prelims, SSC CGL, Banking, Railways, and State PSC exams. This page gives you a complete chronological list of all Rajya Sabha Chairpersons alongside key constitutional provisions, the Deputy Chairman list, and comparison with the Lok Sabha Speaker — all exam-ready.
⚡ Quick Facts
- Article 64 — the Vice President of India is the ex officio Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha.
- Dr. S. Radhakrishnan — first VP and first RS Chairperson (1952–62); later became 2nd President of India.
- Jagdeep Dhankhar — 14th VP and RS Chairperson (Aug 2022 – Jul 2025); resigned citing health.
- C.P. Radhakrishnan — current (15th) VP and RS Chairperson; sworn in September 12, 2025.
- Deputy Chairman of RS — elected by RS members from among themselves (Article 89); presides when Chairman is absent.
- Unlike the Lok Sabha Speaker, the RS Chairman is NOT a member of the Rajya Sabha — sits ex officio; has only casting vote.
The RS Chairman is not a member of the Rajya Sabha (unlike the Lok Sabha Speaker who IS a member of the Lok Sabha). The RS Chairman has no regular vote — only a casting vote in case of a tie. Money Bill certification is the exclusive power of the Lok Sabha Speaker — the RS Chairman has no role in it. Also, 6 VPs became Presidents — not 3, not 5. The VP is removed by a RS resolution agreed to by the LS — a harder process than removing the LS Speaker (which requires only a LS resolution).
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🏛️ Rajya Sabha Chairpersons — Complete List
| # ↕ | Vice President / Chairperson ↕ | Tenure | Duration ↕ | Era ↕ | Party Background | Key Facts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dr. S. Radhakrishnan | May 1952 – May 1962 | 10 years | 1952–62 | INC (supported) | First VP & first RS Chairperson; philosopher; became 2nd President of India (1962) |
| 2 | Dr. Zakir Husain | May 1962 – May 1967 | 5 years | 1962–67 | INC (supported) | 2nd VP; became 3rd President; first Muslim President of India |
| 3 | V.V. Giri | May 1967 – May 1969 | ~2 years | 1967–69 | INC | 3rd VP; resigned to contest Presidential election; became 4th President (1969) |
| 4 | G.S. Pathak | Aug 1969 – Aug 1974 | 5 years | 1969–74 | INC | 4th VP; lawyer and politician from UP; served full term |
| 5 | B.D. Jatti | Aug 1974 – Aug 1979 | 5 years | 1974–79 | INC | 5th VP; served as Acting President (1977) after Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed’s death |
| 6 | Mohammad Hidayatullah | Aug 1979 – Aug 1984 | 5 years | 1979–84 | Independent | 6th VP; former Chief Justice of India; also served as Acting President twice; first CJI to become VP |
| 7 | R. Venkataraman | Aug 1984 – Jul 1987 | ~3 years | 1984–87 | INC | 7th VP; resigned VP to contest Presidency; became 8th President (1987) |
| 8 | Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma | Sep 1987 – Jul 1992 | ~5 years | 1987–92 | INC | 8th VP; became 9th President (1992); former CM of Madhya Pradesh |
| 9 | K.R. Narayanan | Aug 1992 – Aug 1997 | 5 years | 1992–97 | INC (supported) | 9th VP; became 10th President; first Dalit President of India (1997) |
| 10 | Krishan Kant | Aug 1997 – Jul 2002 | ~5 years | 1997–2002 | Janata Dal | 10th VP; only VP to die in office (July 27, 2002); served under Vajpayee government |
| 11 | Bhairon Singh Shekhawat | Aug 2002 – Jul 2007 | ~5 years | 2002–07 | BJP | 11th VP; former CM of Rajasthan (3 terms); contested 2007 Presidential election (lost to Pratibha Patil) |
| 12 | Mohammad Hamid Ansari | Aug 2007 – Aug 2017 | 10 years | 2007–17 | INC (supported) | 12th VP; two full consecutive terms; longest-serving VP in modern era (10 years); career diplomat |
| 13 | M. Venkaiah Naidu | Aug 2017 – Aug 2022 | 5 years | 2017–22 | BJP | 13th VP; former Union Minister and Lok Sabha MP; first VP from Andhra Pradesh |
| 14 | Jagdeep Dhankhar | Aug 2022 – Jul 2025 | ~3 years | 2022–25 | BJP (supported) | 14th VP; former Governor of West Bengal; resigned Jul 2025 citing health (before completing term) |
| 15 | C.P. Radhakrishnan | Sep 2025 – Present | Ongoing (2026) | 2025– | BJP (supported) | 15th VP & current RS Chairperson; former Governor of Maharashtra & Jharkhand; twice elected Lok Sabha MP from Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu) |
| # | Deputy Chairperson | Tenure | Party | Key Fact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | S.V. Krishnamurthy Rao | 1952–1956 | INC | First Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha |
| 2 | Violet Alva | 1962–1969 | INC | First woman Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha |
| 7 | Pratibha Patil | 1986–1988 | INC | Later became 12th President of India — first woman President |
| 10 | P.J. Kurien | 2012–2017 | INC | Last Deputy Chairman elected before 2020 vacancy |
| 11 | Harivansh Narayan Singh | 2018–2026 | JDU (NDA) | Deputy Chairman 2018–2026; journalist-turned-politician; re-elected 2020; retired from RS before 2026 elections |
| Provision | Article | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| VP as ex officio Chairman of RS | Art. 64 | Vice President shall be ex officio Chairperson of Rajya Sabha — no separate election needed |
| Election of VP | Art. 66 | Elected by Electoral College of elected members of both Houses of Parliament; NOT by public directly |
| Qualification for VP | Art. 66(3) | Must be a citizen of India; 35 years+; qualified to be RS member; must not hold any office of profit |
| Tenure of VP | Art. 67 | 5-year term; removable by RS resolution (majority of all RS members) agreed to by Lok Sabha (14 days notice required) |
| Chairman not RS member | Art. 64 + Art. 101 | VP as Chairman is NOT a member of RS; has only casting vote in case of tie (no regular vote) |
| Deputy Chairman of RS | Art. 89 | RS shall choose one of its members as Deputy Chairman; IS a member of RS |
| Removal of Deputy Chairman | Art. 90 | By RS resolution passed by majority of all its members; 14 days notice required |
| Salary of Chairman | Art. 97 | Salaries of Chairman and Deputy Chairman charged to Consolidated Fund of India (CFI) |
| Vacation of Chairman’s office | Art. 67(b) | VP ceases to be Chairman if removed from VP office or resigns from VP position |
| Feature | Rajya Sabha Chairman (VP) | Lok Sabha Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| Constitutional Article | Art. 64 (VP); Art. 89 (Deputy Chairman) | Art. 93 (Speaker & Deputy Speaker) |
| How elected/appointed | VP elected by both Houses (Electoral College of elected MPs) | Speaker elected by Lok Sabha members from among themselves |
| Member of House? | ❌ NOT a member of Rajya Sabha | ✅ IS a member of Lok Sabha |
| Voting rights | No regular vote; only casting vote in tie | No regular vote; only casting vote in tie |
| Removal process | RS resolution (all RS members majority) + Lok Sabha agreement; 14 days notice | LS resolution by simple majority of all LS members; 14 days notice |
| Money Bill certification | ❌ No role whatsoever | ✅ Speaker certifies whether a Bill is a Money Bill (Art. 110) |
| Anti-defection decisions | ❌ No role (not a member) | ✅ Decides disqualification under 10th Schedule in LS |
| Term | Co-terminus with VP’s 5-year term | Co-terminus with Lok Sabha’s 5-year term |
| Presides over joint sitting? | ❌ Lok Sabha Speaker presides (Art. 108) | ✅ Speaker presides over joint sitting of both Houses |
| Current holder (2026) | C.P. Radhakrishnan (15th VP, since Sep 2025) | Om Birla (elected 2019; re-elected Jun 2024) |
| VP (Chairperson) | VP Tenure | Became President | Year became President | Notable First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dr. S. Radhakrishnan | 1952–1962 | 2nd President | 1962 | First VP and first RS Chairperson |
| Dr. Zakir Husain | 1962–1967 | 3rd President | 1967 | First Muslim President of India |
| V.V. Giri | 1967–1969 | 4th President | 1969 | Resigned VP to contest Presidency |
| R. Venkataraman | 1984–1987 | 8th President | 1987 | Also resigned VP to contest Presidency |
| Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma | 1987–1992 | 9th President | 1992 | Former CM of Madhya Pradesh |
| K.R. Narayanan | 1992–1997 | 10th President | 1997 | First Dalit President of India |
⚖️ Compare Two Chairpersons
📝 Key Notes & Memory Tips
The Vice President of India automatically becomes the Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha by virtue of holding the office — no separate election is needed. Unlike the Lok Sabha Speaker, the RS Chairman is NOT a member of the Rajya Sabha. The Chairman has no regular vote — only a casting vote in case of a tie, and this casting vote is also exercised in conformity with rules.
Six out of India’s 15 Vice Presidents went on to become President: Radhakrishnan (1st VP → 2nd President), Zakir Husain (2nd VP → 3rd President), V.V. Giri (3rd VP → 4th President), Venkataraman (7th VP → 8th President), Shankar Dayal Sharma (8th VP → 9th President), and K.R. Narayanan (9th VP → 10th President). This pattern — “6 VPs became Presidents” — is a direct exam question.
Mohammad Hamid Ansari served two full consecutive terms (2007–2017) — making him the longest-serving VP in the modern era at 10 years. He was a career diplomat, serving as India’s Ambassador to the US and at the UN. His tenure spanned both the UPA-II and into the NDA government period. Dr. Radhakrishnan also served 10 years (1952–62) as the first VP.
Krishan Kant (10th VP) is the only Vice President of India to have died in office, on July 27, 2002. During the gap before the next VP was elected, the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha presided over the House — a rare constitutional scenario occasionally tested in UPSC.
The VP can be removed by a resolution passed by a majority of all members of the Rajya Sabha (not just present and voting) and agreed to by the Lok Sabha. 14 days’ notice must be given before such a resolution is moved. This is a harder threshold than removing the Lok Sabha Speaker (which requires only a LS resolution by all members majority). No VP has ever been removed from office.
“Radha Zakir Giri Path Jatti”
→ Radhakrishnan → Zakir Husain → Giri (V.V.) → Pathak (G.S.) → Jatti (B.D.)
“Radha Zakir Giri — then Venkat Sharma Narayan”
→ Radhakrishnan, Zakir Husain, V.V. Giri (VPs 1–3, all became President)
→ Then Venkataraman, Shankar Dayal Sharma, K.R. Narayanan (VPs 7, 8, 9)
🃏 Flashcards
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🧩 Practice Quiz
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Article 64 of the Indian Constitution establishes that the Vice President of India shall be the ex officio Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha. Article 63 defines the office of the VP. Article 89 deals with the Deputy Chairman of the RS. Article 93 deals with the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
Mohammad Hamid Ansari served as the 12th Vice President for two full consecutive terms from 2007 to 2017 \u2014 a total of 10 years. He is the longest-serving VP in the modern era. Dr. Radhakrishnan also served 10 years (1952\u201362) as India\u2019s first VP. Ansari was a career diplomat before becoming VP.
Krishan Kant, the 10th Vice President of India, died in office on July 27, 2002 while serving under PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He is the only VP to have died while in office. Following his death, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat was elected as the 11th VP in August 2002.
The power to certify a Bill as a Money Bill under Article 110 rests exclusively with the Lok Sabha Speaker \u2014 not the Rajya Sabha Chairman. The RS Chairman has no role in Money Bill certification since Money Bills originate only in the Lok Sabha. The Chairman does have a casting vote in case of a tie.
Six Vice Presidents of India subsequently became Presidents: S. Radhakrishnan (1st VP \u2192 2nd President), Zakir Husain (2nd VP \u2192 3rd President), V.V. Giri (3rd VP \u2192 4th President), R. Venkataraman (7th VP \u2192 8th President), Shankar Dayal Sharma (8th VP \u2192 9th President), and K.R. Narayanan (9th VP \u2192 10th President).
\u2705 Key Takeaways
\u2753 Frequently Asked Questions
The Vice President of India serves as the ex officio Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha under Article 64 of the Constitution. The current (15th) Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairperson is C.P. Radhakrishnan, who was sworn in on September 12, 2025 after winning the Vice Presidential election on September 9, 2025. He succeeded Jagdeep Dhankhar (14th VP), who resigned in July 2025 citing health reasons. Unlike the Lok Sabha Speaker, the Rajya Sabha Chairman is not a member of the House — he presides by virtue of being Vice President, and has only a casting vote in the event of a tie.
India has had 15 Vice Presidents since the first VP Dr. S. Radhakrishnan took office in May 1952. All 15 have served as ex officio Chairpersons of the Rajya Sabha. Six of them — Radhakrishnan, Zakir Husain, V.V. Giri, R. Venkataraman, Shankar Dayal Sharma, and K.R. Narayanan — later became Presidents of India, making the Vice Presidency a traditional stepping stone to the highest constitutional office. Notably, the 14th VP Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned mid-term in July 2025 — only the third VP ever to resign before completing a full term.
The Rajya Sabha Chairman is the Vice President of India — an ex officio position under Article 64, held by someone who is not a member of the Rajya Sabha. The Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, under Article 89, is elected by Rajya Sabha members from among themselves and IS a member of the House. The Deputy Chairman presides over the House in the absence of the Chairman. The most recent Deputy Chairman was Harivansh Narayan Singh (JDU), who served 2018–2026 and retired from the Rajya Sabha before the 2026 elections. The Deputy Chairman position is currently vacant (as of 2026).
The Rajya Sabha Chairperson list is tested across UPSC Prelims (Polity), SSC CGL, Bank PO, and Railway exams under multiple question types — the constitutional article (Art. 64), first RS Chairman (Radhakrishnan), VPs who became Presidents (6), longest-serving VP (Hamid Ansari — 10 years), only VP to die in office (Krishan Kant), the current VP (C.P. Radhakrishnan, 15th VP since Sep 2025), and the first VP to resign mid-term in the modern era (Jagdeep Dhankhar, 2025). The RS Chairman vs LS Speaker comparison is a particularly popular exam pattern.
