Selecting civil servants: Prez wants PSCs to give top priority to honesty, integrity

Hyderabad: President Droupadi Murmu has emphasized that the Union Public Service Commissions as well as State Public Service Commissions (PSCs) in the country should give highest priority to honesty and integrity of the candidates during recruitment.

The President amplified that lack of integrity among the candidates selected may pose grave challenges that could become impossible to overcome. She was speaking after inaugurating the National conference of Chairpersons of UPSC and State Public Service Commissions here on Friday.

“I have been told that the conference will deliberate on issues related to technology, legal aspects, and making the entire process of recruitment more effective. I hope the deliberations in the conference will result in very useful future-oriented solution to important issues before the Commissions," she said.

The President urged PSCs to look for instruments and tools that can help them understand the ethical orientation of candidates. “Honesty and integrity are paramount as well as non-negotiable. Lack of skills and competencies can be dealt with through learning interventions and several other strategies”. “Our Constitution makers dedicated an entire part of the Constitution to Services and Public Service Commissions.

This highlights the significance they attached to the roles and functions of the Public Service Commissions for the Union and for the States”, the President observed.

Public Service Commissions should not only be guided by the ideal of equality of opportunity but also try to achieve the goal of equality of outcomes. They were change agents who promoted equality and equity. “I acknowledge their contribution in guiding this change,” the President remarked.

Commending the UPSC and State Public Service Commissions for diligently fulfilling their Constitutional mandate, Murmu said that impartiality, continuity, and stability were imparted to the process of governance by the ‘permanent executive’ or the body of public servants selected by the commissions.

The President stressed that young people seeking employment as civil servants should have the inclination to work for the marginalised and the vulnerable sections. “Our civil servants should be particularly sensitive to the needs and aspirations of women. Gender sensitisation should be given high priority by Public Service Commissions,” she suggested.

The President also highlighted the need for Public Service Commissions to anticipate the emerging challenges on the frontiers of technology, strengthen transparency and credibility, and develop globally comparable teams of civil servants.

“The country is aiming to be the third largest economy in the world soon. We are also moving towards achieving the goal of ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047”, Murmu said. Public Service Commissions should continue to fulfil their responsibilities and contribute towards building a future-ready team of civil servants selected and guided by them, she added.