Quality of civil services decisive for Viksit Bharat, says Vice-President

Public Service Commissions (PSCs) should explore innovative approaches to talent mapping and employability, including initiatives like Union Public Service Commission’s Pratibha Setu, to match the right talent with the right roles, said Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan on Saturday.

Stressing on the crucial role of PSCs in shaping the quality, integrity and effectiveness of India’s governance systems, he said the effective implementation of national priorities such as digital governance, social inclusion, infrastructure development, climate action, and economic transformation — the evolving demands on the civil services — depends on the quality of administrators selected today.

Mr. Radhakrishnan was addressing the valedictory session of the Conference of chairpersons of PSCs. “As India progresses towards the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047, the quality of governance, and more importantly the quality of people who run institutions, will be decisive,” he said, and reminded that PSCs as Constitutional institutions are entrusted with the critical responsibility of selecting competent, impartial and ethical individuals to serve the nation. He also noted that it was the independence of PSCs that is central to safeguarding merit, fairness, and transparency in public recruitment. And over the decades, the Commissions both at the Centre and the States have strengthened public confidence by ensuring administrative continuity, institutional stability and impartiality in selections. He, however, cautioned that even isolated irregularities could undermine institutional credibility, and called for zero tolerance towards malpractice in public examinations

Mr. Radhakrishnan also suggested that PSCs explore fair and structured assessments of behavioural and ethical competencies alongside knowledge-based tests. Strong ethical judgment, emotional intelligence, leadership ability and teamwork, in addition to academic competence, is a crucial combination, he said. Stressing that recruitment alone cannot ensure lifelong excellence, he called for objective performance appraisal, vigilance oversight, and periodic review mechanisms to safeguard institutional integrity.

Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, who was also present at the event, emphasised the need for a mandatory annual calendar in conducting examinations and the importance of adhering to it. He said that delays in examinations lead to increased frustration among the youth, and that public service commissions have the responsibility to conduct examinations with advance planning, keeping the future of the candidates in mind.

Mr. Vikramarka, on transparency in the system, said that gaining the trust of the aspirants is the main objective of the commissions. He rued that question paper leaks are contrary to the values of public service and suggested implementing modern security systems to prevent irregularities and providing training to staff on ethical values. He also noted that there was a need to reduce legal disputes in recruitment processes. Litigations, he said, can be reduced by providing clear rules and advance information. Lessons must also be learnt from court judgments to further strengthen the system, he said.

The two-day conference hosted by TGPSC witnessed deliberations on common challenges faced by PSCs and on legal issues impacting recruitment processes. UPSC presented the concept of establishing a centre of excellence, a central repository of information and guide for State PSCs, aimed at showcasing common best practices and developing uniform standards in recruitment processes. TGPSC chairman Burra Venkatesham explained the financial devolution and fund flow mechanisms of PSCs.

Members of UPSC Lt. Gen. Raj Shukla (Retd.) and Dinesh Dasa, along with the Chairpersons of 24 State PSCs were present.