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UPSC — Union Public Service Commission
2.1 Constitutional Basis
The UPSC is established under Part XIV, Chapter I (Articles 315–323) of the Constitution. Article 315 mandates a UPSC for the Union and a State PSC for each State (or a Joint PSC for two or more states under Article 315(2)).
Composition:
- Chairman + members — no fixed number specified in the Constitution; set by the President.
- At least half the members must have held office under GOI or State Government for at least 10 years (Article 316).
- Terms: 6 years or until age 65, whichever earlier.
- Security of tenure: removal only by President, on grounds specified in Article 317, after Supreme Court inquiry — misbehaviour, insolvency, or paid employment outside the office.
2.2 Functions of UPSC
| Function | Constitutional/Legal Basis | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Recruitment | Art. 320(3)(a) | Conducts competitive exams for Central Services (IAS, IPS, IFS, etc.) |
| Direct Recruitment | Art. 320(3)(b) | Advises on methods of recruitment to civil posts |
| Promotions | Art. 320(3)(c) | Consulted on promotions involving civil servants from different services |
| Transfers | Art. 320(3)(d) | Advises on transfers of civil servants between different services |
| Disciplinary matters | Art. 320(3)(c) | Consulted on disciplinary actions |
| Service conditions | Art. 320(1) | Advises on all matters relating to civil services |
Annual Report: The UPSC submits an annual report to the President, who lays it before both Houses of Parliament. The report details cases where UPSC's advice was not accepted.
Limitations of UPSC: (1) Its role is advisory — the government is not bound to act on UPSC advice; (2) UPSC jurisdiction does not extend to the armed forces, secretarial staff, and certain ministerial posts; (3) Article 320(3) allows Parliament to exclude certain posts from UPSC consultation.
2.3 Recent Developments
- Lateral Entry (2018–2023): The government introduced lateral entry at Joint Secretary and Director level (DOPT notification 2018), bypassing UPSC for specialist recruits — this was referred to the UPSC for screening from 2024.
- Hota Committee (2004): Recommended streamlining UPSC exam cycles, age relaxations, and domain-specific papers — partially implemented in 2011 pattern reform.
- Civil Services (Preliminary) Exam reform: CSAT (Civil Services Aptitude Test) introduced in 2011 as Paper 2; made qualifying (33% minimum) from 2014.