Quality of civil services decisive for Viksit Bharat: Vice President

New Delhi, Dec 20: The Vice President of India, C. P. Radhakrishnan, Saturday participated in the Valedictory Session of the Conference of Chairpersons of State Public Service Commissions in Hyderabad and underscored the pivotal role of Public Service Commissions in shaping the quality, integrity and effectiveness of India’s governance systems.
Addressing the gathering, the Vice President said that as India progresses towards the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047, the quality of governance, and more importantly the quality of people who run institutions, will be decisive. He described Public Service Commissions as constitutional institutions entrusted with the critical responsibility of selecting competent, impartial and ethical individuals to serve the nation
The Vice President noted that the independence of Public Service Commissions, as enshrined in the Constitution, has been central to safeguarding merit, fairness and transparency in public recruitment. Over the decades, he said, the Commissions at the Union and State levels have strengthened public confidence by ensuring administrative continuity, institutional stability and impartial selection of civil servants
Emphasising the evolving demands on the civil services, he highlighted that the effective implementation of national priorities, such as digital governance, social inclusion, infrastructure development, climate action, and economic transformation, depends on the quality of administrators selected today.
Highlighting the importance of ethical standards, C. P. Radhakrishnan said that impartiality is the moral foundation of public recruitment and that transparency is essential to eliminate bias. He observed that even isolated irregularities can undermine institutional credibility, and called for zero tolerance towards malpractice in public examinations
The Vice-President also emphasised that effective governance today requires civil servants with strong ethical judgment, emotional intelligence, leadership ability and teamwork, in addition to academic competence. He suggested that Public Service Commissions may explore fair and structured assessments of behavioural and ethical competencies alongside knowledge-based examinations
Stressing that recruitment alone cannot ensure lifelong excellence, C. P. Radhakrishnan said that performance appraisal, vigilance oversight and periodic review mechanisms must be applied objectively and transparently to safeguard institutional integrity. He added that character and ethical conduct are foundational to nation-building and public trust
Referring to India’s demographic dividend, the Vice President encouraged Public Service Commissions to explore innovative approaches to talent mapping and employability, including initiatives similar to Pratibha Setu, to match the right talent with the right roles.
Concluding his address, C. P. Radhakrishnan expressed confidence that Public Service Commissions would continue to strengthen the foundations of good governance and play a central role in India’s journey towards a Viksit and Aatma Nirbhar Bharat. (PIB)