Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in the Centenary Celebrations of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on October 1, 2026, at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. The event marked 100 years of UPSC's establishment, which the PM described as a "proud milestone" and celebration of the institution's rich legacy, the aspirations of lakhs of youth, and the trust placed in it by every Indian.
PM Modi emphasized that UPSC must now pivot toward preparing for the next 25 years, focusing on selecting youth driven by public service rather than public office. He mandated that recruitment exams must evolve beyond testing academic knowledge to evaluate why candidates aspire to join civil services. The Prime Minister outlined three core principles for 21st-century governance: 'Pro-People, Pro-Active, Good Governance,' and introduced the concept of 'Nagrik Devo Bhava' (citizen as divine), placing citizen service as paramount.
The address highlighted significant demographic shifts in civil services recruitment. Female candidate participation has dramatically increased from just 3% in 1952 to over 30% currently. Post-2014, three out of four UPSC Chairpersons have been women. Exam participation has grown 45-fold since the institution's 50th anniversary in 1976, representing a vast expansion of opportunities beyond elite city-dwellers to rural youth.
PM Modi urged fundamental reforms in recruitment processes, including adopting 'Time Certainty' to shorten exam cycles without lowering standards, noting that prolonged examinations inflict severe financial burdens (coaching fees, rent, transport) on families. He emphasized the need to test complex problem-solving abilities and foresight to address future challenges like information warfare, deepfakes, algorithmic bias, and climate justice.
The Prime Minister recommended institutional improvements including cross-learning between UPSC and state commissions, studying international standards, and leveraging digital infrastructure like the i-GOT platform under Mission Karmayogi for capacity building. He suggested that trainee officers document their original motivations for service to serve as a grounding tool.
PM Modi acknowledged UPSC's British Raj origins in 1926 but praised its post-independence transformation under Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, who provided the "steel frame" needed for national reconstruction. The event featured the release of a commemorative postage stamp, special coin, and compilation of 100 significant case laws. The Prime Minister concluded by emphasizing that UPSC's core values of independence, impartiality, merit, confidentiality, and fair processes must remain eternally uncompromised as the institution enters its second century.