The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) will set up a centre of excellence (CoE) as a national repository of best practices, standard operating procedures, and innovations adopted by UPSC and various state public service commissions (PSCs).

The initiative, announced by UPSC chairman Ajay Kumar on Wednesday, will form a key highlight of the commission’s centenary year celebrations beginning October 2025.

Kumar said the CoE will serve as a knowledge-sharing platform to strengthen recruitment processes across UPSC, state PSCs, and other national examination bodies. While UPSC will take the lead in establishing the centre, he underlined that its success will hinge on the active participation of state PSCs in contributing insights, experiences, and suggestions.

The announcement came during a virtual meeting chaired by Kumar with state PSC chairpersons and members, attended also by UPSC members Dinesh Dasa and Anuradha Prasad. The session focused on collaboration for the centenary year and on building a future-ready recruitment framework.

“India’s recruitment system has stood the test of time, selecting lakhs of talented youth over decades to serve the nation. The centenary is a moment not just to celebrate but to reimagine the future of public service recruitment,” Kumar said.

The chairman also highlighted the success of initiatives such as the Pratibha Setu portal, which enabled candidates who cleared interviews but missed the final selection to find opportunities in semi-government and private organizations—an example of UPSC’s efforts to expand talent utilization.

During the discussion, several PSCs stressed the need to boost outreach in aspirational districts, where deserving candidates often miss opportunities due to lack of awareness, guidance, or resources. Members emphasised that mentoring, awareness campaigns, and accessibility measures will be crucial to making recruitment more inclusive and representative of India’s diversity.

Dasa urged state PSCs to showcase their innovations during exhibitions planned for the centenary year and to organise local awareness programmes. “Such initiatives will not only reinforce faith in the recruitment system but also inspire aspirants nationwide,” he said.

Chairpersons and members from 27 state PSCs participated in the meeting, signalling strong support for UPSC’s vision of a collaborative, future-oriented recruitment ecosystem.