RAS question
Which Article of the Constitution defines the functions of the State Public Service Commission?
Correct answer: (C) Article 320.
Article 320 of the Constitution defines the functions of the State Public Service Commission.
Explanation
Article 320 is the relevant provision because it is headed "Functions of Public Service Commissions" and states that the Union and State Public Service Commissions conduct examinations for appointments to the Union and State services respectively. For a State Public Service Commission, it also anchors the advisory role mentioned in the question: consultation on recruitment methods, appointments, promotions, transfers, and disciplinary matters affecting civil servants. The article further provides that a Public Service Commission advises on matters referred to it, including matters referred by the Governor for the State. That is why Article 320, not the provisions on constitution, removal, or expenses of the commission, answers the question.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Article 317 concerns removal and suspension of a member of a Public Service Commission, so it deals with tenure protection rather than the commission's functions.
- (B) Article 322 deals with the expenses of Public Service Commissions, not the work they perform in recruitment and service matters.
- (D) Article 315 provides for Public Service Commissions for the Union and the States, but it does not define their functional duties.
Concept
This tests the constitutional framework of State Public Service Commissions under Part XIV. It recurs in RAS because recruitment, disciplinary consultation, and the Governor's relationship with the commission are core state-administration themes.