Many young people in India spend years preparing for the highly competitive UPSC Civil Services Examination, aiming to become IAS, IPS, or IFS officers. While thousands work hard and pass the tough written exam, some don’t make it through the final interview round. Despite being smart and capable, these candidates are often left starting over, looking for jobs in the private sector.

To help them, the government has launched a special scheme called ‘Pratibha Setu’, which connects such candidates with job opportunities in both the private and public sector companies.

What is Pratibha Setu?

The scheme, which started in 2018 under the name Public Disclosure Scheme, has now been upgraded and renamed Pratibha Setu. It aims to help candidates who clear the written stage of UPSC exams but do not get selected after the interview round.

According to officials, these are highly intelligent individuals who often go unnoticed by recruiters. “The portal shares the information of the non-recommended candidates of examinations conducted by the UPSC only for the restricted purpose of evaluation of suitability of the candidates for employment purposes, and those assessing it are not expected to use the details for any other purpose or disclosure whatsoever,” an official told The Indian Express.

How it works

The UPSC conducts about 10 major exams each year, selecting 6,400 candidates for various government posts. However, nearly 26,000 candidates pass the written exam and are still not selected.

Now, through the Pratibha Setu portal, these candidates can share their biodata, educational qualifications, contact details, and skills with interested employers. Both private and government companies can log in using a unique identification number to browse profiles and invite suitable candidates for interviews.

Who can benefit from the scheme?

Candidates from the following UPSC exams are eligible to register on the portal:

  • Civil Services Examination

  • Indian Forest Service Examination

  • Central Armed Police Forces (ACs) Examination

  • Engineering Services Examination

  • Combined Geo-Scientist Examination

  • Combined Defence Services (CDS) Examination

  • Indian Economic Service/Indian Statistical Service Examination

  • Combined Medical Services Examination

By offering another chance to highly capable candidates, Pratibha Setu bridges the gap between talent and opportunity. It ensures that years of hard work don’t go to waste and that India’s brightest minds can still make a difference, even if not through the civil services.

You might also be interested in - IFS officer Nidhi Tewari appointed private secretary to PM Modi