What is UPSC
The Union Public Service Commission or UPSC is considered to be one of the most prestigious and India's main governing bodies; many people mistake it for a test. Rather, it is a constitutional body that also serves as the primary agency for UPSC exams for three categories of Indian central services, i.e., All India Services, Group A, and Group B union’s services. In order to fulfill the various central or state government civil service positions, UPSC conducts several types of examinations every year. The Civil Services Examination (CSE), often known as the IAS (Indian Administrative Service) test, is administered by the UPSC. It conducts the examination of civil services in three phases, i.e., Preliminary Examination, Mains Examination, and The Personality Test or Interview. It is regarded as one of the most difficult in the country, with just 1% of all candidates picked each year out of lakhs of applicants. Every year, lakhs of students sit for this test in order to be a member of the esteemed civil service, which allows them to make a difference in society.
Functions
- Another duty of the UPSC is to help them in developing and implementing joint recruiting strategies for any service that requires individuals with particular qualifications.
- The Union Public Service Commission's primary purpose is to advocate for talented and promising young men and women to be appointed to administrative positions once they have been selected through All India competitive examinations.
- The next responsibility is to examine any disciplinary cases affecting a person functioning in a civil capacity under the Government of India or a State government, as well as memorials or petitions pertaining to such concerns.
- UPSC is also responsible for conducting tests or examinations for the appointments at the Union’s Services, as well as conducting direct recruiting interviews.
- It is the responsibility of the Commission to help the states in developing, framing, and conducting joint recruitment programs for several services as per the demand of the states.
- In all of the aforementioned subjects, the Government of India is required to consult the Union Public Service Commission. Nonetheless, the President has the authority to issue regulations defining the areas in which the Commission may or may not be consulted, either generally or in specific instances. The President is not obligated to contact the Union Public Service Commission (exemption from consultation) legislation passed by the President in 1958 in the following cases. Posts related to the administration of the North-East Frontier Agency, as well as any function or post for which the Commission has determined that consultation is not required. If the incumbent is not anticipated to occupy the position for more than a year, temporary and officiating appointments can be made without contacting the UPSC. However, as soon as the positions are filled, a notice of the appointment must be provided to the Commission. Similarly, there is no need to report any reservations of jobs to the Commission in favor of backward classes, Scheduled Castes, or Scheduled Tribes.
Composition
Chairman itself and additional approx. Ten members make up the Union Public Service Commission in general. The UPSC's strength is not specified in the Constitution because it is appointed by the President of India. As a result, the President is in charge of selecting members and establishing service conditions. In addition, at least half of the UPSC members must have served in a government position for at least 10 years, whether at the federal or state level.
Appointment
The Chairman, along with all other members of the Union Public Service Commission, shall be selected by the Hon'ble President, according to Article 316 of the Indian Constitution. In the event that the Chairman's position falls empty, the President may nominate one of the other members of the Commission to fill the vacancy. Also, it is clearly stated that half of the official members should be appointed with a minimum of 10 years of service under the Government of India. In addition, a person who occupies the position of the Chairman becomes ineligible for the re-appointment after expiring his term of office, clearly stated in Article 319.
Expulsion Criteria
If the President believes it is essential, they can dismiss members or the chairperson before the end of their terms based on the grounds and the procedures outlined in the Art. 317 of the Indian Constitution. It is covered under the Constitution. Furthermore, if the Chairman is expelled, the President has the authority to designate an interim chairperson from among the members until the next one is nominated.
Members may quit at any moment by submitting a letter to India's President. Any member of the Commission may be removed from office by the President of India for misbehavior if and only if an inquiry into such misbehavior is conducted and defended by the Supreme Court), or if any member is charged with bankruptcy or engaged in any paid employment outside the scope of his office, or if the President determines the member is unfit to continue in office due to mental or physical illness.
Exemptions
Article 320 (3) (a) & (b) of the Indian Constitution were adopted in order to exclude some of the particular jobs being submitted to the UPSC for their recommendation on the grounds of national security. As per the need, requirement, and necessity, the regulations are altered or changed. Therefore, despite having so much power, there are limitations to it as well.
- When establishing appointments or postings in favor of any underprivileged group of residents,
- Selections for chairmanships or memberships of commissions or tribunals, high-level diplomatic appointments, and the majority of group C and group D services.
- Backward classes posts reservations are set aside.
History
In 1923, the Royal Commission on India's Superior Civil Services was established by the British Government, and at the time, it was chaired by Lord Lee of Fareham. As a result, the British and the Indian official members issued a report proposing the establishment of a Public Service Commission. The UPSC Agency was founded on October 1, 1926, under the presidency of Sir Ross Barker. Aside from the Chairman, there were four other members. The Commission's first Chairman was Sir Ross Barker, a member of the UK Home Civil Service. Its origins may be traced back to the Royal Commission's proposal to establish a Public Service Commission. This agency was known as the Federal Public Service Commission during British rule. Following India's independence, the Federal Public Service Commission has renamed the Union Public Service Commission, or UPSC for short. On January 26, 1950, the Indian Constitution granted it special status. The headquarter is located in Dholpur House in New Delhi.
The present Indian administrative services are based on the British Raj's older Civil Services. The foundation was constructed by Warren Hastings, and it was modified by Charles Cornwallis. He is known as "India's Father of Civil Service."
Significance
The UPSC is responsible for identifying and hiring the best individuals for positions of national leadership. UPSC also provides advice, resolves problems, and ensures government openness. In times of crisis, it also assists state governments. As a result, UPSC plays a crucial role in government operations. As students, you must be aware of UPSC's history and formation. You may be questioned about UPSC during the interview. As a result, knowing and understanding how the entire system works is always a good idea. Furthermore, having additional information is beneficial. It will add to your present understanding. The UPSC has also added Central Public Information Officers and Appellate Authorities to its ranks. It was done in order to comply with the RTI Act, which requires that information be made available to the general public.
UPSC Examination
The Union Public Service Commission examination is considered to be one of the most competitive examinations in India. The Civil Services Examination or CSE is one of the most prestigious exams conducted by UPSC, and every year, lakhs of aspirants appear for the examination in order to get selected for the central & state Government Group A services such as IPS, IAS, IFS, etc. There are about 10 examinations which are conducted by UPSC like, CSE, CAPFE, NDA, etc. Some of the examinations which are conducted by UPSC are as follows:
CSE
It is a national competitive examination which is held by UPSC every year for the recruitment of civil service candidates. IAS, IPS, IFS, IRS are among the high-profile posts for which students appear for the examination nationwide. It is conducted in three phases; Preliminary Examination consisting of objective papers (GS Paper I & GS Paper II), The Mains which consist of nine conventional papers, among which language papers are only for qualifying nature while rests 7 papers marks are counted for the final grading, and finally comes the Personality Test or the Interview.
Eligibility Criteria
- Minimum of Graduation from any recognized university is required.
- The age should be between a minimum of 21 years to be eligible for sitting in the exam.
- The appearing candidates must be Indian National.
- 6 is the maximum limit one can attempt up to the age of 32 years for general. There is relaxation for the OBC, SC/ ST background aspirants.
NDA
UPSC also conducts the National Defence Academy Examination for the recruitment of candidates for the Indian Army, Air Force, and Indian Navy. The examinations are held twice a year in the months of September & April. The National Defense Academy is in Khadakwasla, Maharashtra. Those cadets who successfully finish the examination and program are sent to several training schools for a year as a part of the training before granting any commission. Finally, the applicants are summoned to the National Defence Academy, where they will spend the next three years receiving more training. Candidates are sent to their respective cores or branches for another year of training after completing their NDA course. In general, we can observe that it takes around a year from the time we fill out the application to the time we enter the school for training. As a result, although being a lengthy process, it provides a wealth of positive experiences. Even if someone does not make it to the final stages, they should not be disappointed. Instead, they must re-establish themselves by becoming stronger and learning from their mistakes.
Eligibility Criteria
- The aspirant appearing for the exam should be an Indian Citizen.
- 10+2 is a must from a recognized board for the Army Wing of National Defence Academy.
- 10+2 with Physics & Mathematics is a compulsion for the Air Force and Naval wings of NDA.
- Marital status should be single for both male & female candidates.
CMS
Every year, the UPSC holds CMS or Combined Medical Services Examination for the selection of the healthcare candidates for various positions in different state and central government organizations like PWDs, Railways, Municipal Corporations, Government Hospitals, etc. This is one of the most prestigious exams given in India to hire physicians for various government offices around the country.
Eligibility Criteria
- The candidate must be an Indian National.
- Thirty-two years is the maximum age limit allowed for the candidates to be eligible. However, there is relaxation given for the reserved classes.
- One must clear NEET to be able to take admission in MBBS colleges such as AIIMS, KMC, AFMC, etc.
ESE
The Union Public Service Commission holds a countrywide competitive examination for the position of technical and management duties in India for the civil services for the central and state Government. It is conducted in 4 phases to recruit Indian engineering services candidates. Engineers who work for the Indian Government and are classified as Class 1 officers take the Engineering Services Exam. They are in charge of a large part of the government's economy, including Indian Railways, Power, Telecommunications, Central Water Engineering, Engineers' Defense Service, and Central Engineering Service, among others. The nature of the job performed by these bureaucrats is largely dictated by their engineering specialty and the service or cadre into which they are recruited. Your career is going well, and you're getting a lot of respect. The post of Asst. Executive Engineer is the first to be offered, while the Chairman/Managing Director is the last to be offered. The following are the categories in which qualified candidates are sought:
- Mechanical Engineering.
- Electrical Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering
Eligibility Criteria
- 21 Years of Minimum and 30 Years of Maximum age is required in order to be eligible to sit in the examination.
- Educational Qualification should be at least Bachelorette in Engineering, i.e., B.E. / B. Tech from a recognized university.
- There are age relaxations for the OBC, SC/ ST of up to 3 years & 5 years, respectively.
- It must be an Indian National.
SCRA
This program was introduced to select the candidates for the Special Class Railway Apprentice under the guidance of UPSC. The Union Public Service Commission administers the Special Class Railway Apprentice Exam (SCRA Exam) for roughly ten seats to induct applicants into a special Mechanical Engineering degree program in order to provide Indian Railways with top-ranking officers. Every year, between 1 and 1.5 lakh applicants sit for the SCRA Exam in order to join the railroads as engineers. The Institute has a Memorandum of Understanding with BIT, Mesra, Ranchi, for which the chosen applicants must complete a four-year rigorous mechanical engineering training program. Once completed with the training, the aspirants get to join the Railways Services of Mechanical Engineers in order to face a challenging and satisfying career in India.
Eligibility Criteria
- 10+2 is a must with Mathematics and Physics.
- The Minimum & Maximum age of the candidates should be between 17 to 21 years.
- The seeking aspirant should be an Indian national.