As announced by the Union Public Service Commission’s Chairman, Ajay Kumar, on Wednesday, UPSC has proposed to establish a centre of excellence (CoE) as an archive of best practices of the central recruiting agency and various state public service commissions (PSCs). The idea has been proposed as part of its upcoming centenary year celebrations, for which the chairman has welcomed advice from all the chairpersons of the PSCs for the proposed CoE.
Kumar said that the idea of the centre of excellence (CoE) will serve as a knowledge hub of standard operating procedures (SOPs), innovations, and key takeaways from UPSC and state PSCs, and emphasised that while UPSC would take the lead in setting up a CoE, the active contribution of state PSCs in knowledge-sharing and best practices will be crucial.
The CoE will not only be beneficial to UPSC and state PSCs, but it will also assist the other national recruitment bodies in strengthening their examination and selection processes, the chairman added.
Highlighting the shared vision of recruiting efficient, impartial, and competent civil servants, he recalled the unique, robust character of India’s recruitment system, under which lakhs of talented youth have been selected over decades to serve the nation through both UPSC and state PSCs.
During the meeting, the UPSC chairman also recalled the success of the ‘Pratibha Setu’ portal, through which candidates who reached the interview stage but could not make it to the final list were given opportunities for recruitment in semi-government, quasi-judicial, and private organisations— reflecting UPSC’s commitment to wider talent utilisation.
Several valuable suggestions emerged from the state PSCs, particularly the need to increase awareness about public service examinations in aspirational districts, many of which still witness low participation, according to a statement issued by the UPSC. Members highlighted that despite the immense talent pool in these regions, limited access to information, guidance, and resources often acts as a barrier for deserving youth, it said.
It was emphasised that greater outreach, awareness campaigns, and mentoring initiatives are essential to bridge this gap and ensure that aspirants from every corner of the country, including the most remote and underrepresented districts, feel motivated and empowered to compete, the official statement cited.
Such efforts, the participants agreed, would make the recruitment system truly inclusive, equitable, and reflective of India’s diversity, while strengthening the pipeline of future civil servants, it added.
Kumar made the announcement as he chaired a meeting with the chairpersons and members of state PSCs, in the presence of UPSC members Dinesh Dasa and Anuradha Prasad on September 3. The meeting was organised via video conference to seek participation and cooperation of state PSCs for UPSC’s centenary year celebrations from October 1, 2025, to October 1, 2026. The chairpersons and members of 27 state PSCs participated in the meeting.
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