Inside Raisina Hill: Kartavya Bhawan 2, UPSC Exams, & SIR Drive

As one walks down the Hill along the Rajpath, now renamed Kartavya Path, come other edifices — Rail Bhavan, Krishi Bhavan, Shashtri Bhavan, and Kartavya Bhavan on one side and Sena Bhavan, Udyog Bhavan, and Vanijya Bhavan on the other. The bureaucrats who adorn the offices in these buildings decide on India's economic, social, and industrial policies. There are many tales to be told from the corridors of these grandiose buildings. We let you in on some of them here in this week's edition of "Inside Raisina Hill".

CSE, Forest Services Exam Notification Postponed

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has postponed the release of the Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2026 and Indian Forest Service (IFS) 2026 examination notification, which was originally scheduled for January 14, 2026. The Commission cited administrative reasons for the delay and announced that the detailed notifications will be released “in due course.”

Although the UPSC did not specify the exact nature of these administrative reasons, experts suggest that such delays may arise from internal administrative clearances, finalisation of vacancies or updates to the online application portal.

According to the UPSC Exam Calendar 2026, the Preliminary examination for CSE 2026 was tentatively scheduled between 24th and 31st May, 2026, with online applications expected to open shortly after the notification release. 

Ministries, Depts Get New Space

Nine Union Ministries and Departments have been allocated spaces to move into Kartavya Bhawan 2, one of the building complexes constructed under the Central Vista Redevelopment Project.

The Ministry of Defence will now have its office on the fifth and sixth floors of the building. The Ministry of Law and Justice will be on the third and fourth floors. The Ministries of Culture and Chemical & Fertilizers will have their offices on the second floor of the building. The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare will be on the third floor and the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting will have its offices on the second and third floors of the building.

A select few offices of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which are currently housed in the North Block, will now shift to the ground and first floors of Kartavya Bhawan 2. 

Telangana's IAS Cadre Strength Increased

After Uttar Pradesh, the Union government has now decided to increase the cadre strength of Indian Administrative Service (IAS) for Telangana. The state will now get 10 more officers from 208 earlier to 218.

According to the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) notification, 16 IAS duty posts were removed from the cadre. DoPT, however, stated that a total 23 Collector posts were added to the existing 10, resulting in a significant expansion at the district level. With the cadre revision, senior duty posts have also been increased from 114 to 119. Posts to be filled through promotion have risen from 63 to 66, while those to be filled through direct recruitment have increased from 145 to 152.

Deep Dive Into A Decline

Shashi Ranjan Kumar, Secretary, UPSC, launched his new book, The Decline of Hindu Civilization: Lessons from the Past, at the India International Centre, New Delhi.

Divided into four sections — The Zenith, The Decline, The Defeats, and The Reasons — the book delves into how Hindu civilisation faltered across multiple domains such as culture, politics, society, and intellectual thought.

The book launch saw a distinguished panel of speakers, including Swapan Dasgupta, journalist and former member of the Rajya Sabha, Gautam Sen, Co-Director, DIPF, and Amish Tripathi, former diplomat. 

In WB, 4 More IAS Officers Will Monitor SIR Process

The Election Commission (EC) of India has appointed four more IAS officers from central ministries as Special Roll Observers (SROs) to monitor the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in West Bengal ahead of the Assembly elections. 

With the revision process now entering a crucial phase, the EC has expanded its monitoring team to make the exercise more effective and transparent. The officers will closely observe the revision work on the ground and coordinate with state election officials.

The four newly appointed SROs are: Sailesh, Deputy Secretary in the National Health Authority; Ratan Biswas, Director of Census Operations, Tripura; Sandeep Rewaji Rathod, Director in the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports; and Vikash Singh from the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

Their appointment comes about a month after the EC named the first batch of five senior officers from ministries. These officers were assigned to different divisions of West Bengal and are working as micro-observers in the ongoing SIR exercise.