UPSC Centenary Celebrations ‘Manthan’ Focus on Future-Ready Civil Services, Innovation and Constitutional Values

1. At a Glance

• ‘Manthan’ is the two-day closing event of the Union Public Service Commission's (UPSC) centenary. It began on 30 Sep 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, and marks 100 years of the institution. [1]
• The Chairman set out the Commission's vision for its next phase as three principles, Trust, Transparency and Technology. His line: "change what needs to change so that what must never change can be preserved." Formats and technology can change, but merit, fairness and equal opportunity stay fixed. [1]
• Why it matters: it links GS-II (constitutional bodies, Arts 315–323), GS-II governance (civil service reform, Viksit Bharat) and GS-IV (Antyodaya, Nishkama Karma, the idea of the civil servant as a Sevak). [1][12]
• It also gives dated facts for Prelims: 1926 → 1937 → 1950, about 250 recruitment processes a year, and an exam calendar drawn up 18 months ahead. [1][2]

2. Why in the News

• 30 Sep 2026: UPSC began ‘Manthan’ at Bharat Mandapam, with sessions on the role of civil services in Viksit Bharat, PSCs as constitutional bodies, and innovations in public service. [1]
• The centenary year ran from 1 Oct 2025 to 1 Oct 2026, so Manthan closes the year of celebrations. [2]
• Earlier centenary milestone: the ‘Shatabdi Sammelan’ on 26–27 Nov 2025, which included the conference ‘Chintan’ on Constitution Day (26 Nov 2025). [4]

3. Background & Evolution

• Why it was created: to replace patronage in public recruitment with an impartial system based on merit, competitive examinations, fairness and transparency. [1]
• Legal and policy roots: the Government of India Act, 1919 and the Lee Commission (1924). [2]
• Timeline:
• 1 Oct 1926: the Public Service Commission is set up. [2]
• 1929–30: the first provincial commission, the Madras Service Commission, is set up in 1930 under a 1929 Act of the Madras legislature. [13]
• 1935: the GoI Act, 1935 provides a PSC for each Province, and seven provincial PSCs are set up in 1937. [13]
• 1937: the body is renamed the Federal Public Service Commission. [2][1]
• 26 Jan 1950: it becomes the Union Public Service Commission, with constitutional status. [2][1]
• 1 Oct 2025: the centenary year begins. [2]
• 26–27 Nov 2025: Shatabdi Sammelan, including ‘Chintan’, at Bharat Mandapam. [4][5]
• 30 Sep 2026: ‘Manthan’ begins. [1]

4. Core Static Facts

Item	Fact
Nature	Constitutional body. Art 315 provides a PSC for the Union and one for each State [10]
Constitutional location	Part XIV, Chapter II, Arts 315–323 [12]
Art 318	Power to make regulations on the conditions of service of Members and staff [14]
Art 320	Functions: conducting examinations for Union and State services [11]
Art 321	Power to extend the functions of PSCs [15]
Art 323	Reports of PSCs [16]
Mandate beyond recruitment	Promotions, service rules and disciplinary matters [1]
Current Chairman	Dr. Ajay Kumar [1][9]
Scale	About 250 distinct recruitment processes a year, covering engineering, medical, science, economics and defence [1]
Planning	Exam calendar prepared 18 months in advance [1]
Integrity measures	Digital e-admit cards and face authentication [1]
Proposed institution	Centre of Excellence to share best practices with State PSCs [1][8]
Knowledge partnership	NALSAR, Hyderabad: compendium of 100 landmark judicial verdicts [1]
Outreach portal	“My UPSC Interview: From Dream to Reality” anecdote portal [2][3]

Manthan sessions (30 Sep 2026) [1]

• Session 1: “Role of Civil Services in Viksit Bharat”. Led by Smt. Suman Sharma (Member, UPSC). Panel: Gen. N.S. Raja Subramani (CDS), Harsh Vardhan Shringla (MP, Rajya Sabha; former Foreign Secretary) and Sanjay Shrinet (Chairman, UPPSC).
• Panel: “Public Service Commissions as a Constitutional Body”. Keynote by Dr. Ashok Lahiri.
• Session 2: “Innovations in Public Service”. Chaired by Lt Gen Raj Shukla (Retd.) (Member, UPSC). Keynote by Shaktikanta Das (Principal Secretary-2 to the PM), who called UPSC the “gateway to public service”.

5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis

Legal / Constitutional

• As a body under Arts 315–323, UPSC has institutional insulation. Its job is to protect equality of opportunity in public employment (Art 16 values). [10][12][1]
• Lahiri's point was that UPSC's constitutional role goes beyond recruitment to promotions, service rules and discipline. It is advisory to government and also guards fairness. [1]

Administrative

• Outcome over outlay: Suman Sharma argued that administration should be judged by results on the ground, not money spent. She wanted officials to move from "procedural excuses" to proactive facilitation. [1]
• Grassroots capacity: Shrinet noted that most of the administrative machinery sits below Group A, so reforms must strengthen that level. He called for a shift from authority to accountability. [1]
• Breaking silos: the CDS stressed cross-departmental working, intelligent risk-taking and decisiveness, especially as civil and military roles converge. [1]

Social / Equity

• Shringla called for recruiting more from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities and aspirational districts, and for bringing in younger candidates. [1]
• The Chairman's centenary vision stressed inclusivity and closer engagement with young people. [3]

Scientific / Technological

• Exam integrity is being strengthened with e-admit cards and face authentication. [1]
• The innovation session discussed AI, data analytics and digital architectures to reduce bureaucratic friction and make government respond in real time. [1]

Ethical / Governance (GS-IV)

• Antyodaya (serving the last person in the queue) and Nishkama Karma (duty without attachment to reward) were cited as the ethical base of public service. [1]
• Exam reform: tests should reward reasoning, spontaneous thinking and judgement under ambiguity, not coached model answers. [1]

Federal

• The proposed Centre of Excellence would support UPSC–State PSC cooperation. Its aim is to share best practice, not to centralise recruitment. [1][8]

6. Recent Developments (last 12–18 months)

• 1 Oct 2025: UPSC's year-long centenary celebrations begin. [2]
• 2025: The Chairman sets out a centenary vision built on inclusivity and digital transformation, including the "My UPSC Interview" portal and a new visual identity. [3]
• 2025: UPSC proposes a Centre of Excellence as a repository of best practices. [8]
• 26–27 Nov 2025: The Shatabdi Sammelan at Bharat Mandapam includes ‘Chintan’ on Constitution Day.
• It was inaugurated by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. [4][5]
• Dr. Jitendra Singh called UPSC the “Guardian of India’s Steel Frame”. [6]

• Dr. P.K. Mishra (Principal Secretary to the PM) addressed the plenary. [7]

• 30 Sep 2026: ‘Manthan’ begins, with the Trust–Transparency–Technology vision, the NALSAR compendium and exam-reform signals. [1]

7. Prelims Hooks

• The Public Service Commission was set up on 1 Oct 1926. [2]
• Its origins lie in the GoI Act, 1919 and the Lee Commission (1924). [2]
• It was renamed the Federal PSC in 1937. [2]
• It became the UPSC on 26 Jan 1950. [2]
• The first provincial PSC was the Madras Service Commission (1930), set up under a 1929 Madras Act. [13]
• The GoI Act, 1935 led to seven provincial PSCs in 1937. [13]
• UPSC and State PSCs sit in Part XIV, Chapter II (Arts 315–323). [12]
• Art 320 covers the functions of PSCs. Art 321 lets Parliament or the legislature extend them. Art 323 covers their reports. [11][15][16]
• Centenary ‘Manthan’ venue: Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi (2026). [1]
• The Chairman's three guiding principles: Trust, Transparency, Technology. [1]
• UPSC runs about 250 recruitment processes a year. [1]
• The UPSC exam calendar is prepared 18 months in advance. [1]
• NALSAR, Hyderabad is preparing a compendium of 100 landmark judicial verdicts with UPSC. [1]
• The centenary anecdote portal is “My UPSC Interview: From Dream to Reality”. [2]
• Shatabdi Sammelan: 26–27 Nov 2025. Its conference was ‘Chintan’, held on Constitution Day. [4]

8. Advice the Government Can Say No To

• UPSC gives advice. It cannot give orders.
• Under Art 323, UPSC sends a yearly report to the President. The report is laid before both Houses of Parliament [16].
• Where the government did not accept UPSC's advice, it must attach a memorandum (a written note giving its reasons) [16].

• So the only check on the government is that it has to explain itself to Parliament. It is not forced to follow the advice.

• Rejected advice happens often enough to get its own section in UPSC's reports

• UPSC's 72nd Annual Report (2021–22) has a section on the government not accepting its advice in disciplinary matters [17].
• UPSC's reports also carry a chapter on delays in carrying out the Commission's advice [18].

• A delay can do as much harm as a refusal. If a disciplinary or promotion decision comes years late, the officer and the public both lose.

• Why this matters for the centenary claims

• At Manthan, speakers said UPSC's role reaches beyond exams to promotions, service rules and discipline [1].
• But that wider role depends on ministries acting on UPSC's advice on time. The Trust–Transparency–Technology vision does not change this [1].
• For Mains: "guardian of merit" is strongest at the exam stage. After entry, UPSC's power is only the power to advise and report.

9. Why a Strong UPSC Does Not Fix Leaky State Exams

• Most paper-leak anger is about State and other exams, not UPSC
• The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 was passed to stop paper leaks and organised cheating [19].
• Its list covers central bodies: UPSC, SSC, Railway Recruitment Boards, NTA, IBPS and central departments [19][20].

• State Public Service Commissions are not on that list. Their exams depend on State laws and on how each State PSC runs itself.

• The central law punishes the racket, not the candidate

• Organised cheating can bring 5–10 years in jail and a fine of at least ₹1 crore [19].
• Candidates are kept outside the Act and are dealt with under the exam body's own rules [19].

• This targets the gangs behind leaks. But it only helps if the exam body can spot a leak quickly, and that is a question of the body's own systems.

• The Centre of Excellence can share good practice but cannot enforce it

• UPSC's proposed Centre of Excellence is meant to be a store of best practices for State PSCs [8].
• State PSCs are separate constitutional bodies under Art 315 [10], so UPSC cannot order them to adopt its methods.
• UPSC's tools, such as face authentication and e-admit cards [1], will spread only if each State pays for them and chooses to use them.
• The UPPSC Chairman sat on the Manthan panel [1]. That shows the link exists, but the real test is whether States actually adopt these tools.

10. The Coaching Industry Behind 'Model Answers'

• Moving away from answers learnt by heart is also a question of equity
• Manthan speakers wanted exams to reward reasoning and judgement, not coached model answers [1].
• When an exam rewards answers that can be learnt in advance, paid coaching gives a bigger advantage.

• Candidates from Tier-2 and Tier-3 towns, whom Shringla wanted to recruit more of [1], are the least able to pay for big-city coaching.

• Coaching firms sell UPSC success, sometimes dishonestly

• The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) fined Vajirao & Reddy Institute and StudyIQ IAS ₹7 lakh each, and Edge IAS ₹1 lakh [21].
• The reason was misleading claims about UPSC CSE 2022 and 2023 results [21].
• CCPA then issued guidelines to stop misleading coaching advertisements [22].

• This shows the size of the market built around the exam. Any change to the question pattern will be quickly "coached" too.

• What UPSC can do on its side

• Changing formats keeps coaching firms behind for a while. But candidates will trust the changes only if UPSC explains them clearly and early.
• Its 18-month exam calendar [1] already shows it can plan ahead. Announcing format changes early in the same way would help candidates who cannot pay for insider advice.

11. One Exam at 21, or Experts Brought In at 45?

• The case for bringing in outsiders is real
• Lateral entry means hiring people from outside the service straight into senior posts [23].
• The government has said it brings in the best talent for a specific task, people who have deep expertise [25].

• Manthan speakers also asked for decisiveness, risk-taking and results on the ground [1]. Some of these skills come from careers outside government.

• What the Chairman's line pulls against

• "What must never change" was named as merit, fairness and equal opportunity [1].

• One open competitive exam is the clearest way to deliver equal opportunity. Contract hiring at senior level is a different kind of test.

• An honest answer: the two can sit together, with limits

• Lateral recruitment for Joint Secretary, Director and Deputy Secretary posts was advertised on a contract basis, and selection was done through UPSC [24].
• Using UPSC keeps an independent check on merit, which answers part of the worry.
• What stays open: contract posts are short-term, and a small number of outside hires cannot change a system where most staff sit below Group A [1].
• The 2nd ARC's report on personnel administration (Refurbishing of Personnel Administration, 2008) looked at the civil service as a whole, not only at the entry exam [26]. Mains answers should use that wider frame.

12. Anchors for Answers

• Data: UPSC runs about 250 recruitment processes a year [1]. Organised exam cheating carries 5–10 years in jail and a fine of at least ₹1 crore under the 2024 Act [19]
• Report/Committee: 2nd ARC, 10th Report, Refurbishing of Personnel Administration (Nov 2008) [26]. UPSC's 72nd Annual Report (2021–22) has a section on the government not accepting its advice in disciplinary matters [17]
• Law/Case: Art 323: the government must explain to Parliament why it did not accept UPSC's advice [16]. Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 [19][20]
• Scheme: Lateral entry policy for senior posts, with selection through UPSC [23][24]. CCPA guidelines against misleading coaching advertisements [22]

13. Mains Relevance

• GS-II:
• Appointments to constitutional posts; powers, functions and responsibilities of constitutional bodies.
• Role of civil services in a democracy.

• Transparency and accountability; e-governance.

• GS-IV: Foundational values for civil service (integrity, impartiality, dedication to public service, compassion for weaker sections). Relevant ideas include Antyodaya and Nishkama Karma.

• GS-III (indirect): Use of technology in governance (AI, data analytics).

Possible question stems:

1. "Institutions must change what needs to change so that what must never change can be preserved." In the context of UPSC's centenary, discuss how recruitment reforms can be balanced with the constitutional values of merit and equal opportunity. (15 marks)
2. UPSC's role goes well beyond conducting examinations. Examine its constitutional mandate under Arts 315–323 and assess whether its advisory functions have been kept strong. (10 marks)
3. "Administration should be measured by outcomes on the ground rather than by expenditure." In light of this, discuss the reforms needed to make civil services outcome-driven and future-ready for Viksit Bharat. (15 marks)

14. Related Topics to Study Next

• Mission Karmayogi (NPCSCB): capacity-building to go with recruitment reform.
• Lateral entry into the civil services: a debate on merit, reservation and UPSC's role.
• State PSCs and paper-leak controversies: why a Centre of Excellence is needed; the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.
• Second ARC reports (Refurbishing Personnel Administration, Ethics in Governance): the standard reform benchmark for Mains.
• Arts 308–314 (Part XIV Chapter I) and All India Services (Art 312): the services framework that PSCs recruit into.
• Civil Services Day (21 April) and the Sardar Patel "Steel Frame" idea: the historical and ethical framing.
• CVC, CAG and other constitutional or statutory bodies: comparisons of independence mechanisms.

15. Common Errors / Trap Areas

• Founding year: the PSC was set up in 1926, following the Lee Commission (1924) and the GoI Act, 1919. It is not a product of the GoI Act, 1935, which gave rise to the Federal PSC (1937) and the provincial PSCs. [2][13]
• First provincial PSC: Madras, in 1930, under a 1929 Act. Aspirants often confuse this with 1937. [13]
• Constitutional vs statutory: UPSC is a constitutional body (Art 315). Do not group it with statutory bodies such as the CVC or NHRC. [10]
• Event names: Shatabdi Sammelan / ‘Chintan’ was Nov 2025. ‘Manthan’ is Sep–Oct 2026. Both were held at Bharat Mandapam. [4][1]
• Mandate: UPSC is more than an exam body. It also advises on promotions, service rules and discipline (Arts 320–321). [1][11][15]
• Unverified in this session: the standard facts on Art 316 (appointment of Members by the President; 6-year term or age 65) and Art 317 (removal) were not retrieved. Check them against the bare Act before relying on them.