New Delhi, October 1 (Daily Kiran) : Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to attend the centenary celebration of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on Thursday at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. He is expected to arrive at around 11 a.m. and will address the gathering.
This event will conclude a year-long series of celebrations that began on October 1 of last year, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the UPSC’s establishment in 1926. During the ceremony, the Prime Minister will unveil a commemorative coin, a postal stamp, and a book titled “100 Historic Decisions Shaping UPSC and Public Service Commissions in India.”
The celebration will see participation from chairpersons and members of state public service commissions, senior officials from the central government, educators, UPSC officers, and various stakeholders from across the country.
The event is part of a two-day program organized by the UPSC on September 30 and October 1. The first day will feature “Centenary Celebration – Manthan,” which includes addresses from distinguished speakers followed by panel discussions on various topics.
October 1 marks the centenary of the UPSC, which began its institutional journey on this date in 1926 when India’s first public service commission was formed. Initially, it served as an advisory body, with its chairman and members appointed by the Secretary of State in London. Over the past century, the commission has evolved into an independent constitutional entity with expanded roles and responsibilities.
In recent years, the UPSC’s scope and complexity have significantly increased. Applications for recruitment through examinations and selections surged from 42,727 in 1950-51 to a record 4,510,044 in 2022-23—a more than hundredfold increase. That year, the commission conducted 15 exams, receiving 3,351,916 applications and 233 requests for 4,411 positions through selection.
Between 1949 and 1951, only one woman was selected for the Indian Foreign Service and two for the IAS. In 1952, the representation of women was just 3.6 percent, but by 2025, it rose to 31.2 percent, with women occupying 11 of the top 25 ranks.
Currently, the commission is chaired by Ajay Kumar, who has held the position since May 15, 2025. The commission comprises eight members, including retired Lieutenant General Raj Shukla, Suman Sharma, Vidyut Bihari Swain, Dinesh Dasa, Sheel Vardhan Singh, Sanjay Verma, Sujata Chaturvedi, and Anuradha Prasad, with three women among them. This structure reflects the significant progress the institution has made over the past century.
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