Says “Civil Services Must Mirror the Aspirations of a Digital-First India”
New Delhi, Srinagar| Oct, 3: As the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) completed a century of public service, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday called for a new approach to civil service recruitment and administration, arguing that the demands of a rapidly changing India require public servants driven by a commitment to citizens rather than the prestige of public office. Participating in the centenary celebrations of the UPSC at Bharat Mandapam here, Modi described the milestone as more than a commemoration of an institution. He said the 100 years of the commission represented the aspirations of millions of young Indians who appear for its examinations and the trust placed in the institution by citizens. He said the UPSC had maintained its credibility through changing governments, generations, technologies and examination systems, but argued that its next century must be shaped by the requirements of a very different India. The Prime Minister identified two principles that he said should guide the selection of public servants—“Nation First” and “Citizen First”—and said the recruitment system would need to evolve accordingly. “We must bring youth into Public Services who are driven by Public Service, not Public Office,” Modi said, stressing that examinations should go beyond testing what a candidate knows and also examine why the person wants to join the civil services. The remarks came as the country prepares for the next phase of administrative and institutional change, with the Prime Minister linking the future of civil services to India’s stated objective of becoming a developed nation by 2047.
From Colonial Institution To Independent India: Reflecting on the history of the UPSC, Modi recalled that the institution originated in 1926 during British rule but underwent a fundamental transformation after Independence. He paid tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, whom he credited with recognising the importance of a strong administrative system in consolidating the newly independent country. The Prime Minister said Patel helped provide the “steel frame” necessary not merely to preserve the country but to administer and rebuild it after Independence. The historical transition, Modi said, demonstrated that institutions can retain their structural role while adapting their objectives to the aspirations of a new nation. For the UPSC, he said, the challenge now is to prepare for another major transition as India moves towards 2047. The Prime Minister argued that the civil servant of the future will operate in an environment fundamentally different from that of previous decades. India’s urban population is expanding, the rural-urban divide is changing, technology is altering expectations and citizens increasingly expect government services to function with the speed and convenience associated with digital platforms. This, he said, would require a corresponding change in administrative culture.
‘Nagrik Devo Bhava’ At The Heart Of Governance: A central theme of the Prime Minister’s address was the relationship between citizens and the state. Rejecting the traditional “Mai-Baap” conception of administration, Modi advocated what he called “Nagrik Devo Bhava”—the idea that citizens should be treated with the highest respect and that serving them should remain the primary objective of Government. “Our mantra is ‘Nagrik Devo Bhava’,” he said, adding that citizen service must remain paramount. The concept, he argued, should influence not only how civil servants work after selection but also how they are selected in the first place. The recruitment system, therefore, should identify people capable of understanding citizens’ problems, anticipating difficulties and developing practical solutions. Prime Minister Modi said civil servants must be “pro-people” and “pro-active”, while maintaining a focus on good governance. He described these three principles as the foundation of India’s emerging administrative work culture.
Beyond Knowledge |Testing Motivation And Foresight: The Prime Minister’s call for a rethink of recruitment was among the key messages of the centenary address. While academic knowledge remains central to competitive examinations, Modi said future selection systems must also identify candidates’ motivation for entering public service. He suggested that newly recruited officers could record their original reasons for joining the civil services and return to those reflections at different stages of their careers. Such an exercise, he said, could help officers remain connected to the purpose that brought them into public service. He also suggested that UPSC and state public service commissions could consider developing similar mechanisms. The proposal reflects a broader question about public administration: whether recruitment systems can identify qualities such as empathy, initiative, ethical commitment and problem-solving alongside academic ability. The Prime Minister argued that selecting candidates with the right motivation would make it easier for the administration to respond to changing public expectations.
Civil Servants For An Era Of AI And Deepfakes: The future administrative environment, Modi said, will involve challenges that were largely absent from earlier generations of civil servants. He referred to information warfare, deepfakes, algorithmic bias and climate justice as emerging areas that administrators will increasingly have to understand. These challenges require more than memorised knowledge, he said. Recruitment systems will have to assess foresight and complex problem-solving capabilities so that officers can respond to problems whose nature may not yet be fully understood. Artificial intelligence, in particular, is rapidly changing the relationship between citizens and government. As technology makes information and services available almost instantly, citizens may increasingly expect similar speed from public institutions. This could put pressure on conventional administrative processes and require civil servants to combine institutional knowledge with technological understanding.
Time Certainty As An Equity Issue: The Prime Minister also focused on the duration of competitive examinations. He called for greater “Time Certainty” in examination processes, arguing that shortening recruitment cycles should not be seen merely as an administrative efficiency measure. For candidates, lengthy examination processes can mean prolonged expenditure on coaching, accommodation, transportation and other necessities. Reducing the time between different stages of recruitment, he said, could therefore become an issue of equity, particularly for candidates from families with limited financial resources. “Time certainty” would mean completing examination and recruitment processes within predictable timelines without compromising standards. The proposal places the experience of candidates at the centre of examination reform and raises the broader question of how recruitment institutions can balance procedural rigour with efficiency.
Expanding The Pool Of Public Talent: The Prime Minister also highlighted the changing social composition of civil service aspirants. He noted that participation in competitive examinations has expanded dramatically over the decades, with the number of candidates increasing many times since the UPSC’s 50th anniversary in 1976. The change, he said, reflects a widening pool of talent entering the public service system. The increasing participation of women was also highlighted. According to figures cited by Modi, women accounted for around three per cent of candidates in 1952, compared with more than 30 per cent today. He also pointed to the appointment of three women as UPSC chairpersons after 2014. The changes, he said, demonstrate the expansion of opportunities available to different sections of society. For the commission, however, the expansion of the candidate pool also brings greater responsibility. The UPSC is not simply selecting employees, Modi said. It is selecting people who will eventually represent the government before citizens, particularly at the grassroots level.
Learning Across Institutions: Prime Minisrter Modi also called for greater institutional learning between the UPSC and state public service commissions. National conferences where state commissions exchange experiences, he said, should be strengthened by incorporating international practices and greater technological learning. Cross-learning could help commissions identify more efficient methods of examination management, technology use and candidate services. The Prime Minister also encouraged continuous capacity building within selection institutions. He suggested that existing digital infrastructure developed under Mission Karmayogi, including the i-GOT platform, could support institutional learning and professional development. The broader objective, he said, should be to ensure that recruitment bodies themselves remain capable of adapting to changing demands.
Protecting Credibility In The Second Century: While calling for reform, Modi stressed that the UPSC’s foundational values must remain protected. Independence, impartiality, merit, confidentiality and fairness, he said, form the core of the institution’s credibility and must not be compromised. This balance between continuity and reform is likely to remain central to the commission’s second century. The UPSC has to respond to new technologies, changing candidate profiles and evolving governance requirements while retaining public confidence in the integrity of its selection process. The challenge is therefore not simply to modernise the examination system but to modernise it without weakening the principles that have sustained its legitimacy.
A Century Completed, Another Challenge Ahead: The centenary celebrations also featured the release of a commemorative postage stamp, a special coin and a compilation of 100 significant case laws associated with the institution. The symbolism of the occasion was clear: the UPSC’s first century was being presented as a record of institutional continuity, while its second century was being framed around adaptation. For millions of young Indians, the UPSC remains more than an examination body. It represents one of the country’s most competitive routes into public administration and continues to attract candidates from diverse social, economic and geographical backgrounds. For the state, the stakes are equally significant. The officers selected today will administer an India that is expected to be more urban, more digital and more closely connected to global economic and technological changes. Their responsibilities will extend beyond traditional administration to emerging questions involving artificial intelligence, climate change, digital information, complex social challenges and rapidly changing citizen expectations. At 100, therefore, the UPSC is being asked to look simultaneously in two directions: preserve the institutional values that built public trust, while redesigning recruitment and capacity-building systems for a radically different administrative environment. Prime Minister Modi’s message at the centenary was that the ultimate measure of that transition should remain the citizen. From “Nation First” and “Citizen First” to “Nagrik Devo Bhava” and the call for a “Pro-People, Pro-Active, Good Governance” work culture, the Prime Minister placed public service at the centre of his vision for the commission’s next century. The larger challenge now lies in translating those principles into recruitment systems, administrative practices and institutional reforms that can meet the expectations of India’s next generation.
