The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), turning 100 this October, stands today as India’s most vital recruiter of civil servants. Its origin dates back to 1926, when it was founded under the Government of India Act, 1919, and renamed the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) from 1937 until India’s Constitution took effect in 1950. Under Article 320 of the Constitution, the UPSC’s duties include recruiting to Union and State services via examinations and selection processes.

Today, the UPSC conducts multiple recruitment drives: in 2022-23 alone it conducted 15 exams (11 civil services, 4 defense) across India. Its headquarters, Dholpur House in New Delhi, was once the palace of the Raja of Dholpur, later acquired by the government post-Independence.

Over the decades, the UPSC has not just mirrored India’s evolving governance demands, but also shaped them. From meritocratic aspirations, the commission has held up principles of fairness, integrity, and capacity in public service. But with its centenary comes reflection: how to adapt to changing times, increase transparency, improve representativeness, and make recruitment more responsive to India’s complex challenges. In its next century, UPSC may need to evolve from gatekeeper to enabling partner, guiding a new generation of administrators equipped for adaptation, innovation, and service in a changing world.