Information About UPSC | IAS | IPS | IFS Civil Services

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is India's central agency authorized to conduct the Civil Services Examination, Engineering Services Examination, Combined Defence Services Examination, National Defence Academy Examination, Naval Academy Examination and Combined Medical Services Examination.

Role and Function of UPSC

i. Recruits candidates to services & posts through competitive examinations.

ii. Advises on the suitability of officers for appointment on promotion as well as transfer-on-deputation.

iii.Advises the Government on all matters relating to methods of Recruitment to various services and posts.

iv. Handles Disciplinary cases relating to different civil services.

v. Looks into miscellaneous matters relating to grant of extra ordinary pensions, reimbursement of legal expenses etc.

Examinations conducted by UPSC

1. Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination (In May)

2. Civil Services (Main) Examination (In Oct/Nov)

3. Indian Forest Service Examination (In July)

4. Engineering Services Examination (In June)

5. Geologist Examination (in December)

6. Special Class Railway Apprentices Examination (In July)

7. National Defence Academy & Naval Academy Examination (In April & September)

8. Combined Defence Services Examination (In February & August)

9. Combined Medical Services Examination (In January)

10. Indian Economic Service/Indian Statistical Service Examination (In November)

11. Section Officers/Stenographers (Grade-B/Grade-I) Limited Departmental Competetive Examination (In 

December)

12. Central Police Forces (Assistant Commandants) Examination (In October)

Recruitment is made by one of the following three methods:

-Direct Recruitment;

-Promotion; and

-Transfer

Direct Recruitment is conducted broadly under the following two methods:

-Recruitment by Competitive Examination.

-Recruitment by Selection through Interview.

Recruitment by Competitive Examination

Under the Constitution one of the functions of the Commission is to conduct examinations for appointment to Civil Services/Posts of the Union. In addition, competitive examinations are also held by the Commission under arrangements with the Ministry of Defence for entry to certain Defence Services, through the National Defence Academy, Indian Military Academy, Naval Academy, Air Force Academy and the Officers Training Academy.

The Commission usually conducts over a dozen examinations 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 by Selection

Recruitment by Selection is made by the following methods:

-By Interview Only

-By Recruitment Test Followed By Interview

By Interview Only

Where the number of applicants is very large, it is not practicable to call for Interview all the applicants who fulfill the minimum eligibility conditions prescribed. The Commission, therefore, shortlist the candidates to be called for the interview on the basis of certain pre-determined criteria related to the job. A large number of recruitment cases is handled by the Commission by the method (1) above.

By Recruitment Test Followed By Interview

In this category, there are two types of procedure followed:

An objective-type written and/or practical test to test the skill of the candidates followed by Interview, the final selection being decided by Interview, aided by the performance of the candidates in the written test and/or practical test.

An objective-type written and/or practical test to screen candidates to be called for interview, the final selection being decided by Interview only.

Appointment By Promotion And Transfer On Deputation / Transfer

In accordance with the procedure decided by the Government, in consultation with the Commission, Chairman or a Member of the Commission presides over the Departmental Promotion Committee Meetings to consider promotions from Group B to Group A and from one grade to another within group A, where promotion is to be made by Selection.

Deputation

The Recruitment Rules for a number of posts provide for appointment by Transfer on Deputation (including short term contract) and Transfer. When the field of consideration consists of Central Government as well as State Government officers, prior consultation with the Commission is necessary for selection of an officer. When the file for consideration is made more broad-based and consists of not only Central/State Government officers but also officers from Non-Government Institutions, the selection has to be made in consultation with the Union Public Service Commission.

UPSC conduct various exam for the below services:

All India Services (AIS) 

All appointments to All India Civil Services are made by the President of India.

-Indian Administrative Service

-Indian Forest Service

-Indian Police Service

Civil Services (CS) 

Group A

Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Services, Group A

Archaeological Service, Group A

Botanical Survey of India, Group A

Central Engineering (Civil) Service, Group A

Geological Survey of India, Group A

Central Engineering (Electrical and Mechanical) Service, Group A

Central Engineering Service (Roads), Group A

Central Health Service, Group A

Central Information Service

Central Legal Service (Grades I)

Central Secretariat Official Language Service, Group A

Central Power Engineering Service, Group A

Central Revenues Chemical Service, Group A

Central Secretariat Service, Group A

Central Trade Service, Group A

Central Water Engineering Service, Group A

Company Law Board Service, Group A

Directorate General of Civil Aviation DGCA, Group A

Directorate General of Mines Safety, Group A

Delhi and Andaman and Nicobar Islands Civil Service, Grade I.

General Central Service, Group A

Indian Audits and Accounts Service, Group A

Indian Corporate Law Service,Group A[6][7]

Indian Civil Accounts Service, Group A

Indian Cost Accounts Service, Group A

Indian Defense Accounts Service, Group A

Indian Defence Estates Service, Group A

Indian Economic Service, Group A

Indian Engineering Services, Group A

Indian Information Service, Group A

Indian Foreign Service

Indian Frontier Administrative Service, Group A

Indian Meteorological Service, Group A

Indian Ordnance Factories Service, Group A

Indian Postal Service, Group A

Indian Posts and Telegraphs Accounts and Finance Service, Group A

Indian Railway Service of Engineers, Group A

Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers, Group A

Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers, Group A

Indian Railway Service of Signal Engineers, Group A

Indian Railway Stores Service, Group A

Indian Railway Accounts Service, Group A

Indian Railway Personnel Service, Group A

Indian Railway Traffic Service, Group A

Indian Revenue Service

Indian Salt Service, Group A

Indian Statistical Service, Group A

Indian Telecommunication Service, Group A

Indian Trade Service, Group A

Mercantile Marine Training Ship Service, Group A

Railway Inspectorate Service, Group A

Survey of India, Group A

Telegraph Traffic Service, Group A

Zoological Survey of India, Group A

Group B

Income Tax Service, Group ‘B’

Indian Foreign Service, Group ‘B’ - (General Cadre, Grade I and General Cadre, Grade II only)

Central Secretariat Service, Group 'B' (Section and Assistants’ Grade officers only)

Indian Posts and Telegraphs Accounts and Finance Service, Group ‘B’ Telecommunication Wing.

Indian Posts & Telegraphs Accounts & Finance Service, Postal Wing, Group ‘B’

Indian Salt Service, Group ‘B’

India Meteorological Service, Group ‘B'

Central Secretariat Official Language Service, Group ‘B’

Central Secretariat Stenographers’ Service, (Grade I, Grade II and Selection Grade officers only)

Central Health Service, Group ‘B’

Botanical Survey of India, Group 'B'.

Geological Survey of India, Group 'B'.

Geological Survey of India, Group 'B'.

Survey of India, Group 'B'.

Zoological Survey of India, Group 'B'.

Central Electrical Engineering Service, Group 'B'.

Central Engineering Service, Group 'B'.

Central Power Engineering Service, Group ‘B’

Postal Superintendents’ Service, Group ‘B’

Postmasters’ Service, Group ‘B’

Telecommunication Engineering Service, Group ‘B’

Telegraphs Traffic Service, Group ‘B

Central Excise Service, Group ‘B’

Customs Appraisers Service, Group ‘B’- (Principal Appraisers and Head Appraisers)

Customs Preventive Service, Group ‘B’ – (Chief Inspectors)

Defence Secretariat Service

Union Territories Administrative Service

Union Territories Police Service