Manswi Panchbhai
In 2025, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) celebrates 100 years as India’s premier merit‑based recruitment body.
Founded on October 1, 1926, as per the Government of India Act of 1919, based on the suggestions from the Lee Commission of 1924.
UPSC, founded in 1926, transformed from a colonial recruitment body to India’s premier merit-based institution. Made constitutional in 1950, it has modernized with reforms like CSAT and tech adoption, marking a century of legacy and ongoing evolution.
Under British rule, civil service recruitment favored patronage, with exams held only in London and limited Indian access. Reforms like the 1853 Charter Act, Macaulay Committee, and Lee Commission gradually introduced merit-based, inclusive selection.
The UPSC is responsible for selecting officers for the All-India Services and Central Services, as outlined in Articles 315 to 323 of the Constitution.
UPSC faces several challenges today, including concerns over transparency, increasing legal disputes, and delays in the recruitment process. Critics also point to an outdated exam pattern that may not reflect modern governance needs.
UPSC will celebrate its centenary from October 1, 2025, to October 1, 2026, with a special logo, a virtual town hall with the Chairman, and the launch of a Centre of Excellence to promote recruitment best practices and reforms.
Key milestones include the Kothari Commission reforms (1979), introduction of CSAT in 2011, syllabus revamp in 2013, and major digital reforms in the 2020s. In 2025, UPSC marks 100 years of shaping India’s civil services
UPSC has produced notable civil servants like T.N. Seshan, election reformer; Kiran Bedi, India’s first female IPS officer; Aruna Sundararajan, a leader in Digital India; and Raghuram Rajan, former RBI Governor, all shaping India’s governance.