Recruit for Service, Not Office, Says Modi

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said civil service recruitment should assess why candidates want to join public service, rather than merely test their knowledge, to select young people motivated by service instead of the attractions of public office.

Speaking at the centenary celebrations of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) at Bharat Mandapam, Modi urged recruitment agencies to adapt their selection processes to changing public aspirations and future administrative challenges.

“We must bring youth into public services who are driven by public service, not attracted by public office.

Therefore, the recruitment exam must go beyond testing what a candidate knows, and also look into why that youth aspires to join the civil services,” he said.

Selecting people with the right motivation would make it easier for the administration to respond to changing expectations, he said.

“Therefore, we will also have to adapt our Selection Parameters and Recruitment Process according to future needs,” he added.

Modi said governance must move away from the “Mai-Baap” mindset and embrace “Nagrik Devo Bhava”, treating citizens as divine.

“For us, the service of the citizens is paramount,” he said.

Placing citizens first was central to governance in the 21st century, he said.

“Meaning, the citizen of the country is no less than a deity to us,” he added.

Looking ahead to 2047, the Prime Minister said increasing urbanisation and a narrowing rural-urban divide would raise the expectations of young people.

Traditional service delivery models would have to evolve in an instant-delivery world where citizens expected rapid, real-time solutions powered by artificial intelligence.

“This changing mindset demands new changes from our Civil Services as well,” he said.

Modi described the UPSC centenary as a celebration of the aspirations of young people and the trust citizens placed in the institution.

“Today marks not only the 100-year celebration of UPSC but also the celebration of a rich legacy.

This is a celebration of the aspiration that lakhs of youth live with every year;

It is a celebration of the trust that every Indian holds for this institution,” he said.

He said three of the four women who had served as UPSC chairpersons in its 100-year history were appointed after 2014, reflecting an expansion of opportunities.

Recalling his interactions with newly inducted civil servants, Modi suggested that trainee officers write down their original reasons for joining the services. This could serve as a tool for self-appraisal when responsibilities and challenges increased, he said.

“UPSC and state commissions can also consider developing such a system,” he added.

The Prime Minister said India’s new administrative work culture rested on three principles. “Its fundamental principles are Pro-People, Pro-Active, Good Governance!” he said.

He said selection processes at the national and state levels sought professionals who could anticipate problems and work without unnecessary pressure or influence.

Civil servants should be empathetic, find innovative solutions, ease citizens’ lives and assess how laws affected the public, he said.

“We have to give the country those professionals who find innovative ways out of difficult problems,” he added.

Modi said future civil servants would have to deal with challenges such as information warfare, deepfakes, algorithmic bias and climate justice.

Recruitment agencies should therefore give greater weight to foresight and the ability to solve complex problems.

“In such a scenario, in the selection process, we will also have to give priority to testing complex problem-solving and foresight,” he said.