Union Public Service Commission
Coordinates: 28°36′29″N 77°13′36″E / 28.60806°N 77.22667°E
Abbreviation | UPSC |
---|---|
Formation | 1 October 1926 |
Type | Government of India, भारत सरकार |
Headquarters | Dholpur House, Shahjahan Road, New Delhi |
Location |
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Region served | India |
Chairperson | Alka Sirohi |
Parent organisation | Government of India |
Affiliations | Government of India |
Website |
upsc |
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC; Hindi: संघ लोक सेवा आयोग) is India's central agency authorised to conduct the Civil Services Examination, Indian Forest Service examination, Engineering Services Examination, Combined Defence Services Examination, National Defence Academy Examination, Naval Academy Examination, Combined Medical Services Examination, Special Class Railway Apprentice, Indian Economic Service/Indian Statistical Service Examination, Combined Geoscientist and Geologist Examination, and Central Armed Police Forces(Assistant Commandant) Examination.
The agency's charter is granted by the Constitution of India. Articles 315 to 323 of Part XIV of the constitution, titled as Services Under the Union and the States, provide for a Public Service Commission for the Union and for each state. The examination is one of the toughest examinations in India with success rate of 0.1%–0.3%.
Administration and control
The Commission consists of a chairman and ten members. The terms and conditions of service of chairman and members of the Commission are governed by the Union Public Service Commission (Members) Regulations, 1969. The Chairman and other members of the UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) are appointed by the President of India. At least half of the members of the Commission are Civil Servants (working or retired) with minimum ten years of experience either in Central or State service.
The Commission is serviced by a Secretariat headed by a Secretary with two Additional Secretaries, a number of Joint Secretaries, Deputy Secretaries and other supporting staff.
Every member holds office for a term of six years or until he attains the age of sixty-five years, whichever is earlier.
He can submit his resignation at any time to the President of India. He may be removed from his office by the President of India on the ground of misbehaviour (only if an inquiry of such misbehaviour is made and upheld by Supreme Court) or if he is adjudged insolvent, or engages during his term of office in any paid employment outside the duties of his office, or in the opinion of the President unfit to continue in office by reason of infirmity of mind or body.
UPSC is amongst the few institutions which function with both autonomy and freedom along with the country’s higher judiciary and lately the Election Commission.[1]
As of 12 May 2015, the Commission consists of a chairman and 10 members. The names of the members are:[2]
Chairman
Following is the list of chairmen of UPSC:[3]
- Sir Ross Barker (October 1926 - August 1932)
- Sir David Petrie (August 1932 - 1936)
- Sir Eyre Gorden (1937 - 1942)
- Sir F. W. Robertson (1942 - 1947)
- H. K. Kripalani (April 1947 - January 1949)
- R. N. Banerjee (January 1949 - May 1955)
- N. Govindarajan (May 1955 - December 1955)
- V. S. Hejmadi (December 1955 - December 1961)
- B. N. Jha (December 1961 - February 1967)
- K. R. Damle (April 1967- March 1971)
- R.C.S. Sarkar (May 1971 - February 1973)
- A. R. Kidwai (February 1973 - February 1979)
- M. L. Shahare (February 1979 - February 1985)
- H. K. L. Capoor (February 1985 - March 1990)
- J. P. Gupta (March 1990 - June 1992)
- R. M. Bathew (Kharbuli) (September 1992 - August 1996)
- S. J. S. Chhatwal (August 1996 - September 1996)
- J. M. Qureshi (September 1996 - December 1998)
- Lt. Gen. Surinder Nath (December 1998 - June 2002)
- P. C. Hota (June 2002 - September 2003)
- Mata Prasad (September 2003 - January 2005)
- S. R. Hashim (January 2005 - April 2006)
- Prof D P Agrawal ( August 2008-August 2014)
- Rajni Razdan[4]
- Deepak Gupta [was chosen as the new UPSC chairman in Nov. 2014 after the completion of tenure of Rajni Razdan]
Recruitment rules
In accordance with the provisions contained in Article 320 of the Constitution read with the provisions of Union Public Service Commission (Exemption from Consultation) Regulations 1958, Recruitment Rules of all Group ‘A’ and Group ‘B’ posts in various Ministries/Departments of Government of India are required to be framed in Consultation with the Commission. Consultation with the Commission is also necessary for framing/amending Recruitment Rules for certain categories of posts under the Employees State Insurance Corporation, The Delhi Municipal Corporation, The New Delhi Municipal Coil, Employees Provide. Various examinations are conducted by UPSC every year on an all India basis. These include:- Examinations for recruitment to services/posts in various fields, such as Civil Services, Engineering, Medical and Forest Service, etc.
Main functions of the Union Public Service Commission under Article Section 320 of the Indian Constitution are:[5]
- Conduct examinations for appointment to the services of the Union.
- Recruitment (Direct) by selection through interviews.
- Appointment of Department officers on promotion, deputation and through absorption.
- Framing and amendment of Recruitment Rules for various services and posts under the Government.
- Disciplinary cases relating to different Civil Services.
- On any matter referred to the UPSC, they can directly Advice the Government by the President of India.
Gender issue in application form
While the notification of UPSC claims "Government strives to have a workforce which reflects gender balance and women candidates are encouraged to apply",[6] the application form available online doesn't have the option for "others" under the category of sex. This was highlighted through an RTI appeal filed by a Madurai-based 23-year-transgender, Swapna.[7]
Transgender Swapna and the gender activist Gopi Shankar from Srishti Madurai[8] staged the protest in Madurai collectorate on 7th October 2013 demanding reservation and to permit alternate genders to appear for examinations conducted by TNPSC, UPSC, SSC and Bank Exams. Later, Swapna successfully moved the Madras High Court in 2013 seeking permission to write the TNPSC Group II exam as a ‘woman’ candidate.[9]
Reports
The UPSC annually submits a report of its work to the President of India. Further it is sent to each house of Parliament for discussion.The commission submits an annual report on the work done by it to the president.The president places the report of the commission before the parliament along with a memorandum with regard to the cases where the advice of the commission was not accepted and the reasons for such non-acceptance.
See also
References
- ↑ J. S. Verma (11 April 2009). "Incredible CBI". Indian Express. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
- ↑ "THE UNION PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION AS ON 12-05-2015" (PDF). UNION PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION. 2016.
- ↑ "List of Former Chairmen and Members of the Commission - upsc". U.P.S.C. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
- ↑ "Rajni Razdan to take oath as UPSC Chairman on August 16". The Hindu. 14 August 2014. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
- ↑ "Functions". 2 Sepember 2016. Retrieved December 3, 2016. Check date values in:
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(help) - ↑ "Examinations Notice" (PDF). Union Public Service Commission. 2013. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
- ↑ "UPSC ducks transgender's test query". The New Indian Express.
- ↑ "Transgenders protest demanding name change in certificates". The Times of India. 29 April 2014.
- ↑ "Transgenders stage protest at collectorate". The Times of India.