1. Important Introduction
- 1 October 2026: UPSC completes 100 years.
- 1 October 1926: First Public Service Commission in India was established.
- Initially, it was an advisory body.
- Its Chairman and Members were appointed by the Secretary of State in London.
- Today, UPSC is an independent constitutional body.
2. Road to the Establishment of UPSC
- 1855: Indian Civil Service (ICS) examination was introduced in London.
- Replaced the East India Company’s nomination system with open competition.
- Examination was conducted only in London and in English.
- Subjects such as Greek and Latin favoured candidates educated in the British system.
- 1863: Satyendranath Tagore cleared the ICS examination.
- First Indian to enter the ICS.
- Joined the service in 1864.
- Elder brother of Rabindranath Tagore.
- Later Indian ICS entrants included:
- Surendranath Banerjee
- Behari Lal Gupta
- Romesh Chunder Dutt
- The maximum age for the ICS examination was reduced from 23 to 19 years.
- By 1919: Only 78 out of 1,255 ICS officers were Indians.
- 1919: Government of India Act provided for the establishment of a Public Service Commission.
- 1922: ICS examination was conducted in India for the first time, at Allahabad, alongside London.
- 1924: Lee Commission, chaired by Arthur Hamilton Lee, recommended the immediate establishment of a statutory Public Service Commission.
- Proposed recruitment ratio: 4 British, 4 Indians and 2 Indians promoted from provincial services out of every 10 entrants.
- 1 October 1926: Public Service Commission was established.
- First Chairman: Sir Ross Barker.
- Had four other Members.
- Located at Metcalfe House, Delhi.
- Established under the Public Service Commission (Functions) Rules, 1926, framed under Sections 96B and 96C of the Government of India Act, 1919.
3. Constitutional Mandate
- 22 August 1949: Dr. B.R. Ambedkar moved the draft articles relating to Union and State Public Service Commissions in the Constituent Assembly.
- These provisions became Part XIV, Articles 315–323, of the Constitution.
- 26 November 1949: Dr. Rajendra Prasad emphasised the importance of independent Public Service Commissions.
- Independence helps prevent:
- Nepotism
- Favouritism
- Improper appointments
- Jobbery
4. Important Constitutional Articles (315–323)
| Article | Provision |
|---|---|
| 315 | Union and State Public Service Commissions; provision for Joint PSCs for two or more States |
| 316 | Appointment and tenure of Chairman and Members |
| 317 | Removal and suspension of Members |
| 318 | Regulations regarding conditions of service of Members and staff |
| 319 | Restrictions on further employment after ceasing to be a Member |
| 320 | Functions of Public Service Commissions |
| 321 | Power to extend the functions of Public Service Commissions |
| 322 | Expenses charged on the Consolidated Fund of India or the State, as applicable |
| 323 | Annual reports and cases where advice was not accepted |
5. Major Functions of UPSC
- Recruitment through examinations:
- Civil Services Examination
- Indian Forest Service Examination
- Engineering Services Examination
- Combined Medical Services Examination
- NDA and Naval Academy Examination
- Combined Defence Services Examination
- Central Armed Police Forces (Assistant Commandants) Examination
- Recruitment by selection:
- Interviews
- Recruitment tests for specialist posts requested by Ministries and Departments
- Advisory functions:
- Recruitment rules
- Promotions through Departmental Promotion Committees
- Induction into All India Services
- Disciplinary matters
- 2023–24: Processed records of 24,581 officers for promotion.
- 2023–24: 532 officers were inducted into the All India Services.
- Police leadership: Since 2012–13, UPSC has empanelled senior IPS officers for appointment as State Directors General of Police/Heads of Police Force, following the Supreme Court’s order in Prakash Singh v. Union of India (22 September 2006).
6. Landmark Events: 1926–1949
- 1935: Government of India Act, 1935:
- Provided for a Federal Public Service Commission and Provincial Public Service Commissions.
- Expanded the Commission’s role in recruitment, appointments, promotions, disciplinary cases and service rules.
- 1 April 1937: Commission renamed the Federal Public Service Commission.
- 1938: Combined Competitive Examinations began for several services.
- 1940: Indians numbered 625 in the ICS, exceeding the 575 Europeans for the first time.
- 1947:
- H.K. Kripalani became the first Indian Chairman.
- First examination after Independence was held in December.
- ICS gave way to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS).
- 1948: First batch of Indian Foreign Service officers recruited through the combined examination.
7. Building the Republic’s Services: 1950–1979
- 26 January 1950: Federal Public Service Commission became the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
- Chairman: Shri R.N. Banerjee.
- 1950–51: First regular recruitment to All India Services under the Constitution:
- IAS: 29 candidates recommended.
- IPS: 31 candidates recommended.
- 1951: All-India Services Act enacted.
- 1966: Indian Forest Service constituted as the third All India Service.
- First selection took place in 1967.
- 1969: Eighth Schedule languages introduced as options for Essay and General Studies papers of the Civil Services Examination.
- 1976: UPSC Golden Jubilee.
- Applications crossed one lakh for the first time.
- D.S. Kothari Committee proposed a three-stage examination.
- 1977: First Combined Medical Services Examination conducted.
- 1978: UPSC adopted computers to process applications, answer sheets and records.
- 1979:
- Three-stage Civil Services Examination introduced: Prelims, Mains and Interview.
- Eighth Schedule languages formalised in the Main Examination.
- London examination centre discontinued.