The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is India's premier central recruitment institution established under Article 315 of the Constitution of India. Under the Chairmanship of Sir Ross Barker, it was established on October 1, 1926 as Public Service Commission and was later reconstituted as the Federal Public Service Commission in 1935. After the independence in 1947, the agency got renamed as the Union Public Service Commission and was given a Constitutional status with the promulgation of the Constitution of India on January 26, 1950.
The UPSC consists of a chairman and ten members and is headquartered at Dholpur House in New Delhi. Its charter is granted by Part XIV of the Constitution of India, titled as Services Under the Union and the States.
The Commission is entrusted with the responsibility of direct recruitment at various levels by selection method to all Group ‘A’ posts and selected Group ‘B’ posts in the central government.
Funtions/Mandate of UPSC under Article 320 and 321 of the Constitution of India: - Recruitment by conducting competitive examinations and selection through interviews
- Advising on the suitability of officers for appointment on promotion as well as transfer-on –deputation
- Advising the Government on any matter referred to the Commission by the President of India
- Handling disciplinary cases relating to civil services
- Miscellaneous matters relating to grant of extra-ordinary pensions, reimbursement of legal expenses
- Assisting the government on any matter referred to the Commission by the President of India
- On the request of the Governor of a State, to serve all or any of the needs of a State relating to recruitment, with the approval of the President
Modes of recruitment by the UPSC by one of the following four methods - Direct Recruitment
- Promotion
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Deputation/absorption; and - Composite Method (Deputation + Promotion)
All India Services
The Commission is also entrusted with promotions from State Services (State Civil/Police/Forest Services) to All India Services through a Selection Committee presided over by the Chairman or a Member of the Commission in terms of the respective IAS/IPS/IFoS/Promotion Regulations and selection of Non-State Civil Service Officers for appointment to the IAS under IAS(Appointment by Selection) Regulations, 1997.