Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday (October 1, 2026) said the country must bring youth into public services who are not attracted to public office.

Addressing an event in New Delhi, he said it is essential that the recruitment examination does not just test what a candidate knows but also sees that "why that youth wants to come into civil services".

"Our mantra is... citizen is God. Meaning, the citizen of the country is no less than a deity to us. For us, the service of the citizen is paramount," he said.

Mr. Modi said that "we must always remember two touchstones. One - nation first. Second - citizen first".

"We must bring such youth into public services who are attracted not by public office, but by public service. Therefore, it is essential that the recruitment examination... does not just test what the candidate knows. But also sees that... why that youth wants to come into civil services," he said, addressing the centenary celebrations of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

Mr. Modi also released a commemorative coin, a stamp and a book titled '100 Landmark Judgements: Shaping the Policies of UPSC and Public Service Commissions in India'.

Thursday's programme marks the culmination of year-long celebrations that began on October 1, 2025, to commemorate 100 years since the establishment of the UPSC in 1926.