UPSC centenary: Commission pushes exam reforms to assess reasoning, spontaneous thinking
In short
- UPSC Chairman Ajay Kumar stressed the need to assess candidates on reasoning, spontaneous thinking, and judgment under ambiguity.
- The Commission's vision for its next phase is guided by principles of trust, transparency, and technology.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to participate in the celebrations on October 1, 2026, and release a commemorative coin, stamp, and book.
- The UPSC conducts approximately 250 distinct recruitment processes annually, including the Civil Services Examination.
- Recent reforms include the Universal Registration Number introduced in 2025, randomised interview boards, and an expanded Candidate Helpdesk.
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) commenced its two-day centenary celebrations, titled ‘Manthan’, at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, starting September 30, 2026. The celebrations mark 100 years of the institution’s journey, which began with the constitution of the first Public Service Commission in India on October 1, 1926, as an advisory body.
UPSC Chairman Ajay Kumar highlighted the need for exam reforms to assess candidates on reasoning, spontaneous thinking, and judgment under ambiguity. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to participate in the centenary program on Thursday, October 1, 2026, where he will release a commemorative coin, a stamp, and a book titled ‘100 Landmark Judgements: Shaping the Policies of UPSC and Public Service Commissions in India’.
UPSC’s Vision for Future Reforms and Integrity
UPSC Chairman Ajay Kumar outlined the Commission’s vision for its next phase, based on three guiding principles: trust, transparency, and technology. Kumar stated, “While technology and examination formats can evolve, the core constitutional principles of merit, fairness and equal opportunity remain enduring.” He further emphasised that “The focus should be on qualities that cannot be captured by predictable or coached model answers.” This vision underpins the proposed exam reforms aimed at evaluating reasoning and spontaneous thinking.
To strengthen examination integrity, Kumar highlighted measures such as digital e-admit cards and face authentication. The UPSC undertakes approximately 250 distinct recruitment processes every year across various disciplines, including engineering, medicine, science, economics, and defence. The Commission also conducts the Civil Services Examination annually to select officers for services such as the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), and Indian Police Service (IPS). The UPSC examination calendar is prepared 18 months in advance, with the Civil Services Mains 2026 General Studies Paper I having been written on August 22, 2026.
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Discussions on Civil Services and Public Service Innovations
The centenary deliberations included two key sessions. The first session, themed ‘Role of Civil Services in Viksit Bharat’, was led by Suman Sharma, Member, UPSC. During this session, Gen N S Raja Subramani, Chief of Defence Staff, stressed the need for civil servants to overcome departmental silos, take intelligent risks, and demonstrate decisiveness. Harsh Vardhan Shringla, Member of Parliament and former Foreign Secretary, emphasised widening recruitment from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities and aspirational districts, and bringing younger candidates into public service. Sanjay Shrinet, Chairman of the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission, called for greater accountability at the grassroots level.
The second session, ‘Innovations in Public Service’, was chaired by Lt Gen Raj Shukla (retd), Member, UPSC. Shaktikanta Das, Principal Secretary-2 to the Prime Minister, described the UPSC as “the gateway to public service.” The discussions also traced the Commission’s technology journey, which began with the introduction of computers in 1978. Recent reforms implemented by the UPSC include the Universal Registration Number introduced in 2025, randomised interview boards, a Candidate Helpdesk with a 30-channel IP call centre and a two-level escalation mechanism, and expansion of examination centres.
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