Who has been appointed as Chairman of the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) and is also a member of the Indian Administrative Service cadre?

Introduction / Context:
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India, generally known as IRDAI, is the main regulator for the insurance sector in India. It issues guidelines, monitors insurers, and protects policyholders interests. The head of this organisation is known as the Chairman. Many exam questions check whether you remember the names of key regulators and their heads, especially when they are senior Indian Administrative Service officers.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The post is Chairman of IRDAI.
• The person is an Indian Administrative Service officer.
• Options include T S Vijayan, Subhash Chandra Khuntia, Devendra Jhajharia, and T K Malhotra.
• We are dealing with a general knowledge fact widely reported in news and exam materials.

Concept / Approach:
Subhash Chandra Khuntia is an Indian Administrative Service officer who was appointed as Chairman of IRDAI. T S Vijayan also served as an earlier Chairman but he is not identified in this question as the IAS officer newly appointed. Devendra Jhajharia is a famous para athlete and javelin thrower, not an insurance regulator. T K Malhotra is associated with sports administration. Matching the correct person and post requires knowing the specific name linked with IRDAI in this context.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Focus on the designation Chairman of IRDAI and the fact that the person is an IAS officer. Step 2: Recall that Subhash Chandra Khuntia, an IAS officer, was appointed to this role and was mentioned in financial news and government notifications. Step 3: Note that T S Vijayan, although a former Chairman of IRDAI, is not explicitly described here as the new IAS officer appointment. Step 4: Recognise that Devendra Jhajharia is a sports personality and T K Malhotra is associated with sporting bodies, so they do not fit the regulator profile. Step 5: Conclude that Subhash Chandra Khuntia is the only option that correctly satisfies the description.

Verification / Alternative check:
An alternative check is to recall lists of current affairs items where key appointments are grouped together, such as heads of RBI, SEBI, and IRDAI. In such lists, the name Subhash Chandra Khuntia is clearly linked with IRDAI. Cross checking with the professional background confirms that he is an IAS officer, which matches the wording of the question.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
T S Vijayan did serve as Chairman earlier, but the question targets the appointment of an IAS officer known from more recent current affairs, which is Subhash Chandra Khuntia. Devendra Jhajharia is a celebrated Indian para athlete and has no role as insurance regulator. T K Malhotra has associations with sports administration but not with IRDAI. Therefore, these options are not correct in the specific context asked.

Common Pitfalls:
Some learners may quickly choose T S Vijayan because his name is strongly associated with IRDAI, without carefully noting the clue about an IAS officer and recent appointment. Another pitfall is not keeping appointment data updated and mixing different years. Regularly revising important regulatory positions helps avoid such errors.

Final Answer:
The Chairman of IRDAI referred to in the question is Subhash Chandra Khuntia.