New Delhi: Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, P.K. Mishra, addressed civil servants at the Plenary Session of UPSC's Shatabdi Sammelan Programme, outlining three key principles to equip them for the future. He emphasized that India stands at a crucial point in its journey toward Viksit Bharat 2047, and the civil services are central to achieving this vision.

Mishra stated that modern governance requires collaboration and that expectations for civil servants have evolved from incremental improvements to accelerated transformation. He noted that civil servants are now managers of uncertainty, interpreters of complexity, and guardians of India's strategic interests.

The three guiding principles, or mantras, he presented were:

1. Repurposing Civil Services for a Developmental, Service-Oriented State: Mishra emphasized a reorientation towards a developmental state. He highlighted that over the last decade, expectations have shifted from process compliance to outcome delivery. The focus has moved from siloed government departments to interoperable digital infrastructure and from a state that delivers to citizens to one that partners with them through Jan Bhagidari. This shift is visible across sectors like digital payments, social protection, health, infrastructure, logistics, skilling, taxation, urban governance, and rural development. It now extends into frontier areas where India seeks global leadership, including quantum technologies, space innovation, and the blue and green economies.

2. Reimagining Selection to Identify Deeply Capable Individuals: Mishra stressed that the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) must select individuals with judgment, flexibility, and a capacity for lifelong learning. He added that India's civil services must attract the best minds, communicating qualities of purpose, autonomy, challenge, and impact to globally exposed and ambitious youth. To that end, he highlighted the UPSC's Pratibha Setu portal, which connects talented candidates who reached the final exam stage with potential employers via the National Career Service.

3. Building a Lifelong Learning State: Mishra emphasized the importance of continuous learning for civil servants. He referenced "Mission Karmayogi" and the "Integrated Government Online Training" (iGoT) platform, which provide opportunities for civil servants to upgrade their skills. He stressed that officers must engage with data as confidently as with people, balance ethical judgment with administrative competence, and remain continuous learners even as they lead.

Mishra also pointed out that civil servants must think and operate across sectors, anchoring their work in humility, integrity, and purpose. He acknowledged the reshaping of civil servant responsibilities due to technology, urbanization, climate challenges, and frequent disasters. He added that expectations from civil servants have transitioned from incremental improvement to accelerated transformation.