New Delhi: In a move aimed at recognising and utilising untapped talent, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has launched a new scheme titled 'Pratibha Sethu', which seeks to provide alternative employment opportunities to candidates who clear the rigorous preliminary and main civil services examinations but fall short of making it to the final merit list after the interview stage.

The UPSC, India's apex recruitment body for top administrative posts such as IAS, IPS, IFS, and IRS, receives over 10 lakh applications annually. However, only a fraction make it past the multiple stages, and many candidates—despite years of dedicated preparation—miss out at the final interview round.

Many such aspirants, having exhausted their permissible attempts and upper age limit, are often left with limited options despite possessing proven merit and competence. To address this, the Commission has introduced the Pratibha Sethu initiative, which acts as a bridge connecting these candidates with employment opportunities in various central ministries, public sector undertakings (PSUs), and even private companies.

According to officials, details of over 10,000 qualified but non-selected candidates have been made available on a dedicated portal under the scheme. Both PSUs and private firms can access these profiles through unique login credentials provided by the UPSC.

The Commission believes that this initiative will not only help deserving candidates find high-level roles befitting their skills but also enable government and private institutions to tap into a pool of trained, competitive talent.