UPSC played important role in administration, serving people: PM

New Delhi, Oct 1: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday participated in the Centenary Celebrations of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
Highlighting the profound legacy behind the centenary in his address, the Prime Minister noted that the 100-year celebration is truly a festival of the immense aspirations lived by millions of youths and the unshakable trust every Indian places in the institution. He praised the organization’s enduring credibility despite changing generations, governments, technologies, and syllabi, celebrating the release of a commemorative postage stamp, a special coin, and a compilation of 100 significant case laws.
Recalling the monumental challenges faced after independence, the Prime Minister paid deep homage to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel for establishing the vital steel frame required not just to keep the country independent, but to actively govern the newly formed nation. He praised Sardar Patel for transforming and empowering the institution into a premier pillar of independent India. “The steel frame that was needed for the reconstruction of the nation was provided by Sardar Patel,” noted Modi.
Contrasting the institution’s British Raj origins in 1926 with its post-independence evolution, the Prime Minister noted that the system successfully shifted its focus to fulfill the dreams of a free nation. He acknowledged that while the UPSC has excellently discharged its historical duties, the focus must now decisively pivot toward the critical next 25 years that await the country. “Therefore, today I will keep the focus of my discussion in this direction,” asserted Modi.
Detailing the critical role of selection commissions in achieving a Viksit Bharat, the Prime Minister emphasized that the youths recruited today will simultaneously serve as the chief architects and the primary beneficiaries of the nation’s future. He mandated that every selection process must be rigorously tested against the dual criteria of prioritizing the nation and the citizen. “When candidates filled with this spirit are selected, achieving national goals will become that much more natural and easier,” affirmed Modi.
Projecting the vastly different socio-economic landscape of 2047, the Prime Minister explained that an increasingly urbanized nation with narrowing rural-urban divides will dramatically elevate the expectations of the youth. He warned that traditional service delivery models must evolve to match the speed of an instant-delivery world where citizens demand rapid, real-time solutions powered by AI. “This changing mindset demands new changes from our Civil Services as well,” observed Modi.
Urging a fundamental shift in recruitment philosophy, the Prime Minister stressed that the selection parameters must evaluate not just academic knowledge, but the underlying motivation to ensure candidates are drawn to public service rather than mere public office. He explained that selecting individuals with the right inherent motivation makes it significantly easier for the administration to adapt to rapidly changing public aspirations. “Therefore, we will also have to adapt our Selection Parameters and Recruitment Process according to future needs,” asserted Modi.
Sharing his personal interactions with newly inducted civil servants, the Prime Minister suggested that trainee officers should write down their original motivations to serve as a grounding self-appraisal tool when future challenges and responsibilities mount. He encouraged both the UPSC and state commissions to institutionalize similar introspective mechanisms for candidates. “UPSC and state commissions can also consider developing such a system,” remarked Modi.
Discarding the archaic ‘Mai-Baap’ governance mindset of the past, the Prime Minister heralded a modern administrative era built on the absolute principle of ‘Nagrik Devo Bhava’- treating the citizen as divine. He declared that placing the service of the citizen above all else is the absolute core of 21st-century governance. “Meaning, the citizen of the country is no less than a deity to us,” affirmed Modi.
Defining the new work culture for modern administration, the Prime Minister explicitly detailed that 21st-century India is moving forward with an entirely fresh operational ethos. He stated that the fundamental principles of this new era rest entirely on three core pillars. “Its fundamental principles are Pro-People, Pro-Active, Good Governance!” asserted Modi.
Elaborating on these foundational governance principles, the Prime Minister demanded that selection processes at both national and state levels be meticulously designed to recruit professionals who proactively anticipate problems and operate without unnecessary pressure or influence. He emphasized the need for empathetic civil servants who find innovative solutions, proactively ease citizens’ lives, and critically evaluate the impact of laws on the public. “We have to give the country those professionals who find innovative ways out of difficult problems,” noted Modi.
Addressing the unprecedented technological disruptions facing society, the Prime Minister cautioned that future civil servants will have to navigate entirely new battlegrounds such as information warfare, deepfakes, algorithmic bias, and climate justice. He instructed recruitment agencies to adapt to these global shifts by prioritizing candidates’ foresight and complex problem-solving abilities. “In such a scenario, in the selection process, we will also have to give priority to testing complex problem-solving and foresight,” asserted Modi.
Highlighting the urgency of administrative overhauls, the Prime Minister insisted that examination agencies must rapidly align with the nation’s broader reform momentum by adopting the principle of Time Certainty to shorten exam cycles without lowering standards. He emphasized that prolonged examinations inflict severe financial burdens, such as coaching fees, rent, and transport, on families, transforming cycle reduction into a fundamental fairness issue. “This will also be an equity reform,” affirmed Modi.
Encouraging systematic institutional capacity building, the Prime Minister praised existing national conferences where state commissions share best practices, but urged them to elevate these forums by studying international standards and focusing on technological efficiency. He advocated for cross-learning and standardizing procedures to provide immense relief and clarity to participating youths across the country. “This process of cross-learning will benefit UPSC as well and will also benefit the selection commissions of every state,” noted Modi.
Reiterating the absolute necessity of continuous institutional growth, the Prime Minister advised that both the UPSC and state selection commissions must relentlessly focus on their own capacity building. He recommended heavily leveraging the digital infrastructure already established under the national mission for civil servants. “The i-GOT platform created under Mission Karmayogi can be utilized for this,” remarked Modi.
Reminding the officials of their profound national duty, the Prime Minister emphasized that their core mission is directly linked to transforming youth power into robust national power, celebrating how opportunities have successfully shifted from elite city-dwellers to talented youth from rural villages. He proudly noted the dramatic rise in female candidates in civil services, jumping from a mere 3 percent in 1952 to over 30 percent today, alongside the historic appointment of three out of four women UPSC Chairpersons post-2014. “These changes are not just statistics; they show how much the scope of opportunities in the country has expanded,” affirmed Modi.
Pointing to the massive explosion in candidate participation since the institution’s 50th anniversary in 1976, the Prime Minister noted a 45-fold increase in exam takers, representing a vast national talent pool that demands monumental responsibility from selectors. He reminded the commissions that they are not merely picking candidates, but choosing individuals who will become the very face and representative of the government at the grassroots level. “Therefore, all of you have a very huge responsibility of selecting the right person,” asserted Modi.
Looking toward the institution’s second century, the Prime Minister urged the commission to aggressively upgrade its operations to meet future challenges while fiercely protecting its foundational credibility. He stated that the core identity of the UPSC, its independence, impartiality, merit, confidentiality, and fair processes, must remain eternally uncompromised. “These values must always remain,” affirmed Modi.
Concluding his address with a forward-looking mandate, the Prime Minister expressed his profound hope that the institution will continue to thrive and adapt successfully in its new century.