Prime Minister Narendra Modi marked 100 years of the Union Public Service Commission on October 1 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. The centenary celebrates the country’s top recruitment body, first set up in 1926. Modi released a UPSC Centenary Commemorative Coin, a commemorative postage stamp, and a book titled ‘100 Landmark Judgements – Shaping the Policies of UPSC and Public Service Commissions in India’. The event was the close of year-long celebrations that began on October 1, 2025. The programme, called Shatabdi Samaroh – Manthan, ran over September 30 and October 1 with officials and academics from across the country. Modi called the centenary a celebration of the aspirations of millions of young people. He spoke of ‘Nation First’ and ‘Citizen First’ as guiding principles for public service. UPSC chairman Ajay Kumar used the platform to push exam reform. The commission wants tests to reward reasoning and judgment under pressure rather than rote memory. Steps already in place include digital e-admit cards, a Universal Registration Number introduced in 2025, and AI-enabled facial checks piloted in 2025 and scaled for the 2026 prelims. In CSE 2025, 299 of the 958 recommended candidates were women.