TGPSC CARE 1st October 2025 Current Affairs

Why in News?

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) celebrates 100 years of merit-based recruitment, upholding trust, integrity, and fairness in India’s civil services.

Introduction

• On October 1, 2025, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) marked its centenary year, completing a remarkable journey as the guardian of meritocracy in India’s governance.
• Established in 1926 under the recommendations of the Lee Commission (1924) and initially called the Public Service Commission, it evolved through colonial and constitutional transformations to become the UPSC after the adoption of the Constitution in 1950.
• For the past 100 years, the UPSC has stood as an enduring pillar of fairness, trust, and integrity in public recruitment, ensuring that access to India’s higher civil services is determined by merit alone.
• This journey reflects not only the evolution of an institution but also the democratic aspiration of India to build an impartial and efficient civil service capable of serving governments of all political orientations.

About Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)

• The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is India’s premier central recruitment agency responsible for selecting candidates for All India Services, Central Services, and Group A and B posts in the Government of India.
• It acts as the guardian of meritocracy, ensuring fair and transparent recruitment based on ability, knowledge, and competence.

(Image Source: The Hindu )

Historical Evolution:

• The Government of India Act, 1919, first envisaged the idea of an independent recruitment body to secure an efficient and impartial civil service.
• Acting on the Lee Commission’s recommendation that democratic governance required protection of civil services from political or personal influences, the British established the Public Service Commission in October 1926, with Sir Ross Barker as its first chairman.
• Initially endowed with limited powers, it functioned as an experiment in a colonial setup. The Government of India Act, 1935, further elevated it to the Federal Public Service Commission, providing Indians with a more significant role in administration.
• After Independence, under Articles 315–323 of the Indian Constitution, it became the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), tasked with recruitment, promotion, and disciplinary oversight of the Central Civil Services.

The Pillars of UPSC: Trust, Integrity, and Fairness

The success and credibility of the UPSC have been built on three core principles:

• Trust – Millions of aspirants over decades have reposed faith that the Commission’s processes ensure equal opportunities irrespective of socio-economic background.
• Integrity – The UPSC has protected its processes from political or external pressures, maintained confidentiality, and upheld merit-based selection.
• Fairness – By providing candidates the freedom to choose among 48 subjects for the Mains examination and write in English or any of the 22 constitutionally recognised languages, the UPSC has truly created a level playing field in a country marked by diversity and inequality.
• This commitment to fairness reflects the philosophy of the Bhagavad Gītā’s verse, “Tasmad asaktaḥ satataṁ kāryaṁ karma samācara…”, which inspires the UPSC to perform its duty “without attachment to outcomes, with rigour and impartiality.”

Managing Scale and Complexity: A Global Benchmark

• Today, the UPSC conducts the Civil Services Examination (CSE)—the world’s largest competitive examination—with remarkable precision and consistency.
• Every year, about 10–12 lakh candidates apply for the Preliminary Examination.
  • The Preliminary stage is conducted across 2,500+ centres nationwide, followed by the Mains examination with 48 optional subjects.
  • The evaluation process is anonymous, with answer scripts assessed by leading experts in respective disciplines and languages.
  • Special arrangements are made for differently-abled candidates.
• Even during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, the UPSC maintained its defined timelines without disruption, demonstrating its ability to orchestrate a seamless and equitable process.

Championing Diversity: The ‘Indian Dream’

• The CSE, once dominated by candidates from urban elite backgrounds, now attracts aspirants from nearly every district in India, including the most remote and underprivileged regions.
• This expanding diversity reflects the “Indian Dream” — the belief that talent, hard work, and commitment can open doors to opportunity for all, regardless of birthplace, class, or linguistic background.
• By ensuring equal access, the UPSC has played a transformative role in making the civil services a true mirror of India’s demographic diversity, thus strengthening democratic governance.

Unsung Heroes Behind the Institution

• While candidates and successful civil servants often receive public recognition, the faceless contributors—the paper setters, evaluators, and administrative staff—are the silent backbone of the UPSC’s operations.
• These academic experts and administrators work with selfless dedication to maintain the integrity, fairness, and rigour of the examinations.

Reforms for the Future: Adapting to New Challenges

• Entering its centenary year, the UPSC has embraced technological and procedural reforms to remain current in the face of global competition and governance challenges:
  • Online application portals for ease of access.
  • Face-recognition technology to prevent impersonation.
  • The PRATIBHA Setu Initiative to support candidates who reach the interview stage but miss final selection, enabling them to find suitable employment.
• Plans to integrate AI and digital technologies for more efficient recruitment without compromising on integrity and fairness.

Contribution to Nation-Building

• Across decades, UPSC-selected civil servants have:
  • Administered during national crises,
  • Guided economic reforms,
  • Overseen infrastructure development and environmental management, and
  • Contributed silently to nation-building at every level of governance.
• Their professionalism and dedication—nurtured through the UPSC’s merit-based selection—have been instrumental in upholding public trust in India’s bureaucracy.

Conclusion:

• As the UPSC celebrates 100 years, it reaffirms its resolve to uphold the “gold standard” of integrity, fairness, and excellence in public recruitment.

CARE MCQ

Q2.   Consider the following statements regarding the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC):

1. UPSC was established in 1926 following the recommendations of the Lee Commission.
2. The UPSC conducts examinations in multiple subjects and allows answers in English or any of the 22 constitutionally recognised languages.
3. The PRATIBHA Setu initiative by UPSC helps candidates who are not selected in the final list to find alternative employment opportunities.
4. UPSC’s mandate includes recruitment, promotion, and disciplinary oversight only for the civil services, not for technical or medical services.

Which of the above statements are correct?

A) 1, 2, and 3 only
B) 1 and 4 only
C) 2 and 3 only
D) 1, 2, 3, and 4

Answer 2- A

Explanation

• Statement 1 is correct: UPSC was indeed established in 1926 based on the Lee Commission (1924) recommendations.
• Statement 2 is correct: Candidates can choose from 48 subjects and answer in English or any of the 22 recognised languages.
• Statement 3 is correct: PRATIBHA Setu facilitates employment for candidates reaching the interview stage but not making the final selection.
• Statement 4 is incorrect: UPSC oversees recruitment across civil, technical, medical, forest, engineering, and statistical services, not only civil services.
• Therefore, option A is the correct answer.

UPSC PYQ

Q Consider the following pairs: 2025

Provision in the Constitution of India: Stated under
I. Separation of Judiciary from the Executive in the public services of the State: The Directive Principles of the State Policy
II. Valuing and preserving of the rich heritage of our composite culture: The Fundamental Duties
III. Prohibition of employment of children below the age of 14 years in factories: The Fundamental Rights

How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?

(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All the three
(d) None

Ans: (c)