https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Former RBI Governor Duvvuri Subbarao Calls for Major Overhaul of Civil Services Recruitment – Read His Suggestions Here

Mr Subbarao recommended reducing the maximum age limit and the number of attempts allowed for the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE). Currently, aspirants can take the exam up to six times between the ages of 21 and 32.
Indian Masterminds Stories

New Delhi: Duvvuri Subbarao, former Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, has urged the government to undertake significant reforms in the recruitment process for India’s civil services. In an opinion piece published in an esteemed newspaper, Mr Subbarao proposed two major changes aimed at making the system more efficient and inclusive.

Mr Subbarao recommended reducing the maximum age limit and the number of attempts allowed for the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE). Currently, aspirants can take the exam up to six times between the ages of 21 and 32. He argued that this extended eligibility period leads many candidates to invest years in preparation with repeated failures, often at the cost of their productive years. “For every successful candidate, there are at least ten others who too have invested years in preparation but have failed to make the grade. They are back at square one. An abysmal waste of productive years?” he wrote.

Drawing from his own experience in the 1970s, when only two attempts were permitted within a narrower age band of 21 to 24 years, Subbarao suggested capping the attempts at three and the upper age limit at 27 years. He also expressed concern that multiple attempts tend to favor mastery of exam techniques over genuine merit, increasing the risk of selection errors.

To balance this, Subbarao proposed the introduction of a structured mid-career entry path into the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) for professionals aged 40 to 42. Unlike the current ad-hoc lateral entry system, this would be a permanent, competitive channel conducted by the UPSC, enabling experienced professionals to join the civil services with real-world exposure and governance insights.

“Tier 2 recruits will make up for these lacunae and make the civil service collectively more relevant and useful, and maybe even more caring,” he said.

However, Subbarao cautioned that the existing young aspirant entry route should not be phased out, emphasizing the importance of youthful energy and enthusiasm in the administration.

Concluding his article, Subbarao acknowledged improvements in the civil services exam over the past five decades but stressed that “there is still a need to push the envelope” to make recruitment more effective and meaningful.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
Odisha Government
Odisha Elevates Two Promising IFS Officers to Senior Time Scale, Strengthening Forest Leadership - Know More About Them
Yogi Adityanath UP
Uttar Pradesh Floods: CM Yogi Adityanath Forms ‘Team-11’ for Swift and Transparent Flood Relief Across 12 Districts
DGR Job Fair
DGR Job Fair 2025 Held in Delhi to Empower Ex-Servicemen with Career Opportunities in Emerging Tech - Details Inside
omc
Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) Begins Dispatch from Dubna Mines, Strengthening Supply Chain and Industrial Growth
NFDC
NFDC Launches Free Residential 3D Animation & VFX Training for North East Youth - Here's All You Need To Know
CM Yogi
CM Yogi Adityanath Reviews Rs. 42,891 Crore Development Proposals for Lucknow Division, Emphasizes Timely, Inclusive Execution
Mahanadi River
Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai Assures Odisha of Consideration on an Amicable Solution to Mahanadi Water Dispute
MP News
Madhya Pradesh CM Dr. Mohan Yadav Pays Tribute to Pt. Ravishankar Shukla on His Birth Anniversary
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IAS Karn Satyarthi
How IAS Karn Satyarthi Transformed Gumla Through Empathy and Innovation
Ananth Rupanagudi IRAS
IRAS Ananth Rupanagudi’s Take on Corruption, Reform, and Duty
WhatsApp Image 2025-07-26 at 13.16
What Most Indians Don't Know About Jim Corbett
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
BPSC Bihar police
From Lantern Light to Police Uniform: How Praveen Kumar from a Small Bihar Village Cracked BPSC to Become SDPO
From a lantern-lit village in Bihar to becoming an SDPO, Praveen Kumar's journey is a testament to resilience,...
IAS Priyansha Garg
Why Mindset Matters: IAS Priyansha Garg’s Mental Health Mantra for UPSC
After two failed prelims, Priyansha Garg cracked UPSC with AIR 31 in her fourth attempt, proving how...
Ashish Akshat
From Setback to State Topper: How Ashish Akshat Topped JPSC While Working Full-Time
Ashish Akshat from Dhanbad topped JPSC 2023, proving that resilience, discipline, and family support...
Social Media
Mudumalai Tiger Reserve
Mudumalai Tiger Reserve: From India’s First Sanctuary to a Tiger Conservation Success Story | International Tiger Day Special
IAS Supriya Sahu Hails Mudumalai's Role in Tiger Conservation on Tiger Day. Declared in 1940, Now Among...
Mangroves
Mangroves: Nature’s Shield Against Disasters, Says Officer Parveen Kaswan on Mangroves Day - Watch His Post Here
Mangroves, with their dense, interlaced root systems, form a mesh-like structure that serves as a buffer...
Retired IPS Inderjit Singh Sidhu
Purpose Doesn’t Retire: How 88-Year-Old Retired DIG Becomes Chandigarh’s ‘Quiet Warrior’ of Cleanliness
Inderjit Singh Sidhu’s Dawn Patrol Earns Applause, Mahindra’s Praise for a Man Who Chose Action Over...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
Odisha Government
Odisha Elevates Two Promising IFS Officers to Senior Time Scale, Strengthening Forest Leadership - Know More About Them
Yogi Adityanath UP
Uttar Pradesh Floods: CM Yogi Adityanath Forms ‘Team-11’ for Swift and Transparent Flood Relief Across 12 Districts
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IAS Karn Satyarthi
Ananth Rupanagudi IRAS
WhatsApp Image 2025-07-26 at 13.16
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT