UPSC to send recruitment alerts to institutions via email: New step aims to expand outreach and improve applicant numbers
In a move that could help streamline public service hiring and reduce missed opportunities for eligible candidates, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has launched a new email alert system for institutions. Educational and professional bodies across India can now subscribe to receive timely notifications about relevant UPSC recruitment advertisements directly in their inbox.Announced on August 5, 2025, the initiative was introduced by UPSC Chairman Dr. Ajay Kumar, who described it as a strategic step towards increasing awareness, improving participation, and reducing the number of vacant or infructuous posts due to low or ineligible applicant pools.
Why this move matters
Each year, UPSC handles over 200 recruitment proposals from different ministries and departments of the Government of India. These include Group A and Group B Gazetted positions across sectors such as medical, legal, education, engineering, finance, forensic audit, and other technical specialisations. In 2025 alone, more than 240 such recruitment requests have already been received.Despite broad advertising through Employment News, the official UPSC website, and its LinkedIn account, the commission has observed significant disparities in applicant turnout. According to Dr. Kumar, several advertised positions receive very few or no suitable applications. In some cases, even when candidates appear for interviews, the recruitment boards are unable to identify eligible individuals due to gaps in qualifications or experience. This has led to several posts remaining unfilled or being declared infructuous.The newly introduced email alert mechanism is expected to plug these gaps by directly informing relevant institutions and bodies about openings that match their educational or professional focus areas.
How it works
Under the new policy, UPSC will send recruitment-related email alerts to:
- Recognised universities and academic institutions
- Professional and industry associations
- Relevant bodies connected with the fields in which posts are being advertised
Institutions that are not part of the initial mailing list can also request to be included. Interested parties can send an email to ra-upsc@gov.in with the subject line: “Subscription Request – UPSC Recruitment Alerts”. Once registered, they will receive timely updates whenever recruitment advertisements relevant to their domain are published.The Commission is also encouraging government departments that submit hiring proposals to actively publicise their posts through departmental websites and social media platforms. In addition, UPSC is expanding its digital outreach with LinkedIn updates and is exploring the use of the Public Broadcaster to spread awareness about its vacancies. There are also plans to enable RSS feeds on the UPSC website to make recruitment notifications more accessible and real-time.
Planning ahead for a time-bound process
Along with the alert system, UPSC is working towards improving the efficiency of the recruitment cycle. Dr. Kumar mentioned that Ministries and Departments have been asked to send their recruitment requests in a fixed window between January and March each year. This helps the Commission plan better by grouping similar posts and conducting joint examinations, leading to a more structured and timely recruitment process.
A step towards inclusive merit
The broader goal behind this initiative is clear. By improving access to information, UPSC hopes to ensure that qualified candidates do not miss out on career-defining opportunities simply because they were unaware of the openings. In the Chairman’s words, “We want to ensure that merit is not left undiscovered simply due to lack of information.”Institutions, educators, and placement officers are being urged to sign up for these alerts so they can keep their students and members informed. In an increasingly competitive and information-driven job landscape, proactive outreach like this may prove crucial in bridging the gap between opportunity and talent.Read the full Press Release here.For updates and more details, visit the official website: https://www.upsc.gov.inTOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us here.
