The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has launched an initiative called Pratibha Setu. The portal aims to bridge the gap between qualified but non-recommended candidates of various UPSC examinations. It connects these candidates with potential employers in the private and public sectors.
In 2018, UPSC launched the Public Disclosure Scheme (PDS), which has now been expanded as Pratibha Setu. This initiative aims to provide employment opportunities. It targets talented young people in government organisations and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs). But there aren’t many placement offers in the few PSUs and the government sector. To expand this scheme, the commission began sharing details of non-recommended, willing candidates. This includes candidates from the Commission’s examinations with the private sector since early this year. Non-recommended candidates are those who qualify in the written examinations but are not recommended post interview.
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The Need for Pratibha Setu
UPSC conducts nearly 10 major exams annually, including the Civil Services Examination, recommending about 6,400 candidates for various posts. However, nearly 26,000 candidates who clear the written exams each year remain unplaced. Many of these individuals have strong academic credentials. They rank high in their respective categories. However, they lack conventional work experience due to years spent preparing for the exams.
Expansion of the Scheme
UPSC has launched a dedicated portal. Registered private companies can access the information of candidates. They can do this alongside government-owned entities. The data is only shared for employment-related evaluation and requires prior consent from the candidates. Employers can log in to the Pratibha Setu portal. This includes registered private firms verified through the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. They use an identification number for login.
Short biodatas of the candidates with their percentile, educational qualifications, contact numbers etc. have been made available for employers. The portal also provides subject and discipline-wise search facilities to registered organisations. This helps them identify suitable candidates in line with their requirements.
The list of candidates is now being shared for several examinations. These include the Civil Services Examination, the Engineering Services Examination, and the Indian Forest Service Examination. These also include the Central Armed Police Forces (ACs) Examination. They include the Combined Geo-Scientist Examination and the CISF Assistant Commandants (Executive) LDCE. Additionally, it includes the Combined Medical Services Examination. It also includes the Indian Economic Service/Indian Statistical Service Examination. The National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination are included, too. Finally, it includes the Combined Defence Service Examination.
Monitoring Effectiveness
UPSC will track the selection process of the candidates once they are shortlisted by the organisations. It will continue until the issue of appointment letters. UPSC will maintain regular contact with the companies that register for this scheme and generate logins.
The backend is updating the status of selections from the master list on a near real-time basis. An official said this. The portal now allows users to upload a copy of the appointment letter. This information is tabulated to calibrate the success rates.
A bridge to Utilise Potential
“The idea is to not let merit go to waste,” said an official familiar with the program. “These are people who’ve already proven themselves under India’s toughest examination standards. They deserve a chance beyond government service.”
The scheme is already being extended across UPSC’s entire examination calendar. This includes Combined Medical Services, Defense Services, Geo-Scientist, Economic Services, and NDA/NA exams. Officials say the response from private companies has significantly improved since the inclusion, even as it remains “early days”.
The UPSC Secretary has reportedly written to key government departments urging them to promote the portal among their private partners. The Commission is tight-lipped on exact placement numbers so far. However, it is optimistic that industry will recognize the value of such a pre-vetted talent pool.
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