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Of 52,910 candidates, 33,950 not selected after interview for govt jobs: Govt tells Rajya Sabha

The Ministry has encouraged these candidates to register their profiles on the NCS portal – ncs.gov.in and on the UPSC website under the miscellaneous candidates’ section – upsconline.gov.in/miscellaneous/pdoiac.

Over 33,000 candidates not selected after UPSC interview in the last 5 years, centre exploring job opportunities: Govt tells Rajya Sabha (Express Photo by Praveen Khanna/ representative)

Between 2020-21 and 2024-25, a total of 52,910 candidates appeared for the UPSC interview, out of which 33,950 were not selected. These aspirants reached the final stage but could not make the cut, informed Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh in a written reply.

The Centre on Thursday reiterated its commitment to creating employment avenues for candidates who reach the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) interview stage but are not finally selected for civil services. Responding to an unstarred question in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister of State Dr Jitendra Singh highlighted initiatives, including the Public Disclosure Scheme, launched in June 2016, as a step in this direction.

Under the scheme, details of candidates who reach the interview stage but are not recommended for final selection are published online — with their consent — on the UPSC website and the National Career Service (NCS) portal of the Ministry of Labour and Employment. This allows other recruiting organisations to access and consider these candidates for suitable roles.

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“The scheme aims to increase access to employment opportunities for such candidates,” Dr Singh stated, adding that the NCS has also recently launched a specialised portal for these aspirants called the Pratibha Setu portal.

The initiative, launched as part of the Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2023 result process, enables verified employers — ranging from government ministries and public sector undertakings (PSUs) to autonomous bodies and private organisations — to access the profiles of such non-recommended yet qualified candidates. The initiative is designed to facilitate alternate career pathways by connecting these aspirants with organisations seeking top-tier talent..

While Pratibha Setu may appear new, it is a rebranded and upgraded version of the Public Disclosure Scheme (PDS), which has been in operation since August 2018. The scheme was originally launched following a decision by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), under which UPSC began publicly sharing the biodata of non-recommended but willing candidates.

In another response, shared in the Parliament, The Ministry has encouraged these candidates to register their profiles on the NCS portal – ncs.gov.in and on the UPSC website under the miscellaneous candidates’ section – upsconline.gov.in/miscellaneous/pdoiac.

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