How Many Civil Services Posts One May Get into UPSC

Introduction

The Union Public Service Commission, often known as UPSC, is the top central hiring agency for all Group "A" officers employed by the Indian government. All Group "A" posts in all central government facilities, which also includes all central public sector organisations and all central autonomous bodies, are subject to its nomination and assessment procedures. India's primary personnel organisation is the Department of Personnel and Training.

The UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) conducts various civil service examinations in India, and based on the ranking of the candidates, they can get selected for different civil service posts. Some of the prominent civil service posts for which candidates can get selected through UPSC exams include:

Indian Administrative Service (IAS)

Indian Police Service (IPS)

Indian Foreign Service (IFS)

Indian Revenue Service (IRS)

Apart from these, there are many other central civil services, including Indian Information Service (IIS), Indian Trade Service (ITS), Indian Postal Service (IPoS), and Indian Audit and Accounts Service (IA&AS), among others.

The number of vacancies for each of these services varies every year based on the requirement of the government. Candidates can indicate their preferences for these services while filling out the application form for the UPSC exams. However, the final allotment of services is based on the candidate's rank and the vacancies available for each service.

History

In 1923, the British government established the Royal Commission on the Superior Civil Services in India, whose chairman was Lord Lee of Fareham. The group, which had an equal number of Indian and British members, advocated for the creation of a Public Service Commission in its 1924 report.

According to the Lee Commission, 20% of Indians should be promoted from the provincial services, 40% of Indians should be employed directly, and 40% of recruits should be British. As a result, the first Public Service Commission was established on October 1, 1926, with Sir Ross Barker as its chairman.

The Public Service Commission was only given a small advising role, which the liberation movement's leaders emphasised repeatedly.

A Federal Public Service Commission was established under the Government of India Act of 1935 as a result of the leaders of the liberation movement's persistent insistence that the Public Service Commission only had limited advisory responsibilities.

The Federal Public Service Commission became the Union Public Service Commission after the country gained its independence. It received constitutional status under the Indian Constitution on January 26, 1950.

Constitutional status

The Union Public Service Commission is taken into consideration by Art. 315 at the Union level since a Public Service Commission is formed for the Union and each state under Articles 315 to 323 of Part XIV of the Constitution, headed "Services Under the Union and the States."

Services The Indian Constitution's Part XIV, which is devoted to the Union and the States, establishes the agency's charter. The commission is required by the Constitution to nominate individuals to the Union and All India Services. The Government must consult with it before making decisions regarding employee hiring, transfers, promotions, and discipline.

The panel answers directly to the President, who has the authority to offer advice to the government. But the government is not required to heed such counsel. Due to its position as a constitutional authority, the UPSC, together with the nation's higher court and, more recently, the Election Commission, is one of the few organisations that may operate with both autonomy and independence.

The commission has its secretariat and is based out of Dholpur House in New Delhi. Dr Manoj Soni has served as UPSC chairman since April 5, 2022. The Public Service Commission, established on October 1st, 1926, was subsequently reorganised as the Federal Public Service Commission under the Government of India Act before being given its current name after independence.

One of the few institutions that function with both autonomy and independence is the UPSC, along with the nation's higher courts and, more recently, the Election Commission.

The number of major civil services posts under UPSC:

UPSC conducts exams for several posts every year. Although the trophy positions are IAS, IPS, IFS, and IRS, there are around 24 posts that are filled through the Civil Service Examination (CSE) conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

The three types of civil services that are filled through the UPSC exams are:

All India Civil Services:

• Indian Administrative Service (IAS),

• Indian Police Service (IPS)

• Indian Forest Service (IFoS)

Group 'A' Civil Services:

• Indian Foreign Service (IFS),

• Indian Audit and Accounts Service (IAAS),

• Indian Civil Accounts Service (ICAS),

• Indian Corporate Law Service (ICLS),

• Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS),

• Indian Defence Estates Service (IDES),

• Indian Information Service (IIS),

• Indian Ordnance Factories Service (IOFS),

• Indian Communication Finance Services (ICFS),

• Indian Postal Service (IPoS),

• Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS),

• Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS),

• Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS),

• Indian Revenue Service (IRS),

• Indian Trade Service (ITS), and

• Railway Protection Force (RPF)

Group 'B' Civil Services:

• Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Service,

• DANICS,

• DANIPS,

• Pondicherry Civil Service, and

• Pondicherry Police Service

The allotment of services to successful candidates depends on the rankings obtained in the examination, and a candidate after getting selected for a service is appointed to various posts within that service throughout their career.

Functions

Several departmental and direct recruiting exams are given by the Commission's Examination Branch. The test administration procedure includes actions like sending out exam notices in accordance with the government's examination criteria, accepting online applications from candidates, scheduling the exam at various locations around the country, etc. Applications submitted online alone will be accepted.

Conclusion

It has been noted that the UPSC, as the sole central recruiting body, is responsible for upholding the meritocracy system and identifying the most qualified candidates for the open positions. It administers the test all over the nation and offers the government its recommendations for the hiring of employees for group A and group B central services as well as all-India services. The UPSC's role is mostly advisory and does not inherently bind the government.

However, if the government chooses to disregard the commission's recommendations, it must answer the parliament. Above all else, the UPSC only cares about the examination process and ignores issues like service classification, cadre management, training, and service conditions. The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, which oversees these concerns, is made up of the Department of Personnel and Training. On concerns of promotion and discipline, the government consults the UPSC. Therefore, it is critical to comprehend that the commission bears primary responsibility for the mission-critical duty.