UPSC truly represents India’s diversity and inclusivity, as aspirants from varied backgrounds, appear for UPSC examination. It is also the testimony of trust of people, in the fair selection process of the institution, said Shri Om Birla, Lok Sabha Speaker. He was speaking at the inaugural address, of Union Public Service Commission’s two days, Shatabdi Sammelan, organised at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.

Hon’ble Speaker lauded the Commission’s 100-year journey as a defining chapter in India’s democratic and administrative evolution. He observed that by providing equal opportunities to talent coming from diverse social and geographical backgrounds, UPSC has strengthened India’s vibrant democratic structure through merit, integrity, transparency, impartiality, confidentiality and accountability. Calling the Commission “one of the most important institutions in India’s democratic and administrative framework, the UPSC has set the benchmarks not only for India but for governance systems worldwide.

Addressing future challenges, Shri Birla urged the Commission to continue evolving with emerging global realities such as artificial intelligence, climate change, cybersecurity, and national security. “The leadership emerging from this institution,” Shri Birla concluded, “has guided India’s executive system with sensitivity, ethics, and commitment to public service. As UPSC enters its second century, it will continue to play a defining role in shaping the future of governance in India.”

UPSC is the ‘guardian of India’s steel frame of governance’, said Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Dr. Jitendra Singh, during his Ministerial address at the inaugural event. UPSC has stood as a pillar of integrity, fairness, and transparency through India’s pre- and post-Independence eras, serving as a silent witness to the nation’s democratic journey. He recalled Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s description of the Civil Services as the “Steel Frame of India” and said, “It is the Union Public Service Commission that has lived up to the responsibility of being the guardian of this steel frame.”

Dr. Jitendra Singh pointed out that the year 2025 marks several historic milestones, the 150th birth anniversaries of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Bhagwan Birsa Munda, the 125th birth anniversary of Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee, and 150 years of the composition of Vande Mataram, making it a year deeply intertwined with India’s cultural, constitutional, and nationalist heritage. “It is, therefore, a matter of pride,” he said, “that UPSC’s centenary also falls in this historic year, linking the Commission’s journey with India’s broader story of democracy and governance.”

Applauding UPSC’s continuous evolution, Dr. Singh drew attention to several recent initiatives that reflect the Commission’s forward-looking approach. He especially commended UPSC’s ‘Pratibha Setu’ portal, which seeks to create new opportunities for candidates who have appeared in the Personality Test Stage but did not make it to final selection, by connecting them with private sector and institutional openings. He termed the move “an innovative bridge between talent and opportunity,” ensuring that India’s intellectual potential is not lost but leveraged for national development.

Dr. Singh also emphasised UPSC’s larger role beyond recruitment, framing and updating service rules, reviewing administrative practices, and setting ethical standards for public service. He expressed satisfaction that despite emerging challenges and debates around constitutional institutions, UPSC continues to uphold “the highest traditions of India’s constitutional values, meritocracy, and fairness.”

Delivering the welcome address, UPSC Chairman Dr. Ajay Kumar extended a warm welcome to the dignitaries and participants, describing the occasion as a “historic milestone in the UPSC’s glorious journey of a century.” Reaffirming UPSC’s constitutional mandate, Dr. Kumar said, on this solemn Constitution Day, the Union Public Service Commission re-dedicates itself to the ideals of fairness, meritocracy, and equity in our recruitment, examination, and promotion systems.” He also acknowledged the presence of former Chairpersons and Members of the Commission, calling them “luminaries who set the high bar for succeeding generations,” and emphasized the strong institutional bond between UPSC and State Public Service Commissions across India. “The UPSC,” he said, “will always remain the sacred place of trust and integrity envisioned by the framers of our Constitution.”

The two-day ‘Shatabdi Sammelan’ (Centenary Conclave) being organized by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on 26th–27th November 2025 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, marks a monumental milestone in the Commission’s 100-year journey of nation-building. The event brings together present and former Chairpersons and Members of UPSC and State Public Service Commissions (PSCs), along with senior officials from across the Government of India, scholars, and distinguished personalities associated with governance and public administration.

 

 

*****

NKR/AK

(Release ID: 2194753) Visitor Counter : 187