History of Union Public Service Commission

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.

History

The Royal Commission on the Superior Civil Services in India under the Chairmanship of Lord Lee, which submitted its Report in 1924, recommended the setting up of the Public Service Commission. This led to the establishment of the first Public Service Commission on 1 October 1926 under the Chairmanship of Sir Ross Barker. The limited advisory function accorded to the Public Service Commission and the continued stress on this aspect by the leaders of our freedom movement resulted in the setting up of a Federal Public Service Commission under the Government of India Act, 1935. The Federal Public Service Commission became the Union Public Service Commission after Independence and it was given a Constitutional status with promulgation of Constitution of India on 26 January 1950.

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 thePresident 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.

As of 12 May 2015, the Commission consists of a chairman and 10 members. The names of the members are:

Chairman

1. Deepak Gupta a retired IAS officer of Jharkhand cadre and younger brother of former Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta is the Current chairman of the commission.

Members

1. Smt Alka Sirohi (IAS-Madhya Pradesh Cadre)
2. Prof David R Syiemlieh (Academician, Former VC of R G University)
3. Shri Manbir Singh (ex-IFS)
4. Vice Admiral D K Dewan (Retd) AVSM, PVSM
5. Shri Vinay Mittal (Former Railway Board Chairman)
6. Dr (Smt) P Kilemsungla (Indian educationist)
7. Shri Chhatar Singh (Former Prin Sec to Haryana CM)
8. Prof. Hem Chandra Gupta (Former Professor, IIT Delhi)
9. Shri. Arvind Saxena (Former Director and Ex-officio Special Secretary, Aviation Research Centre (ARC))
10. Prof(Dr)Pradeep Kumar Joshi (Former Chairman of Chhattisgarh & Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission)

The government has enhanced the status of chairman and members of the Commission by Chairman has been placed in Article 9A with Chief Election Commissioner and Members have been placed as Equivalents in Article 11 along with Election Commissioners, in the Warrant of Precedence.

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 Provid. 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. Recruitment is made by one of the following three methods:1) Direct Recruitment; 2) Promotion; and 3) Transfer. Currently Union Public Service Commission of India has 42 regular examination centers, where each year they conduct Several Indian Civil Services Examination.

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 ", 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.

Transgender Swapna and gender activist Gopi Shankar from Srishti Madurai 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 was incidentally, had successfully moved the Madras High Court in 2013 seeking permission to write the TNPSC Group II exam as a ‘woman’ candidate.