New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has highlighted an interesting chapter from the history of India’s civil services, saying Sanskrit was among the subjects available in the examination even during the British era.
Modi made the observation while speaking at an event marking 100 years of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.
Referring to an exhibition on the history of the civil services, the Prime Minister said it showed that freedom fighter Subhas Chandra Bose appeared for the civil services examination in 1920 and chose Sanskrit as one of his papers.
Modi said the detail stood out because the examination was held when India was still under British rule. He used the example to underline the long history of Indian languages and subjects within the country’s competitive examination system.
The Prime Minister also spoke about the journey of the civil services from the colonial period to independent India. He said the role of public servants changed significantly after Independence, as the administration had to respond to the needs of a democratic nation and its people.
Modi recalled the contribution of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in building India’s administrative system after Independence. He said Patel understood the importance of having an efficient and committed civil service for the country’s development and unity.
The Prime Minister said the UPSC has remained an important institution throughout its 100-year journey. While the examination pattern, technology and requirements have changed over time, he said the institution has continued to play a key role in selecting people for public service.
The first Public Service Commission in India was established on October 1, 1926. It later became the Federal Public Service Commission in 1937 before being given its present constitutional status as the Union Public Service Commission after Independence.
Modi said the centenary was an opportunity not only to look back at the UPSC’s history but also to think about how public administration should evolve in the years ahead.
He encouraged people, particularly young aspirants, to learn about the institution’s journey and understand the responsibility that comes with entering public service.
The Prime Minister’s remarks about Bose and the Sanskrit paper drew attention to a lesser-known aspect of the civil services examination during the pre-Independence period.
