The Union Public Service Commission has been established under Article 315 of the Constitution of India. The Commission consists of a Chairman and ten Members who are governed by the Union Public Service Commission (Members) Regulations, 1969. The Union Public Service Commission has been entrusted with:
- Recruitment to services & posts under the Union through conduct of competitive examinations;
- Recruitment to services & posts under the Central Government by Selection through Interviews;
- Advising on the suitability of officers for appointment on promotion as well as transfer-on-deputation;
- Advising the Government on all matters relating to methods of Recruitment to various services and posts;
- Disciplinary cases relating to different civil services; and
- Miscellaneous matters relating to grant of extra ordinary pensions, reimbursement of legal expenses etc.
Also See : UPSC Exams
The Union Public Service Commission conducts a number of exams which are:
UPSC Civil Services Exam
The prestigious Civil Services Examination is conducted annually by the UPSC to select officers for Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and Indian Police Service (IPS), among others. The Civil Services Examination is conducted in three stages–preliminary, mains and interview. The Civil Services Preliminary Examination (objective type) for the selection of candidates for the Main Examination; and the Civil Services Main Examination (written and interview) for the selection of candidates for the various services and posts.
UPSC National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination
The National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination (NDA & NA) is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission, for admission to the Army, Navy and Air Force wings of the NDA Indian Naval Academy Course (INAC). The Union Public Service Commission shall prepare a list of candidates who obtain the minimum qualifying marks in the written examination as fixed by the commission at their discretion. Such candidates shall appear before a Services Selection Board for Intelligence and Personality Test where candidates for the Army/Navy wings of the NDA and 10+2 Cadet Entry Scheme of Indian Naval Academy will be assessed on Officers Potentiality and those for the Air Force in Pilot Aptitude Test and for Officers Potentiality.
UPSC Combined Defense Services Exam
The CDS Exam or Combined Defence Service Examination is an exam conducted twice every year by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). It is an exam to induct officers into the Indian Defence Forces i.e. the Army and the Airforce. The UPSC CDS Selection Procedure includes a Written Examination, Personality Test/ Personal Interview, Verification of the candidates and finally Medical Examination of the selected candidates; in that order.
UPSC Engineering Services Examination
The Union Public Service Commission conducts the Engineering Services Examination for recruitment to the posts of Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering. A written test for IES is conducted which consists of two papers; paper 1 is English and General Awareness and this is an mandatory paper and paper 2 is an optional paper and every candidate has to choose one option from the field they are applying for. The second step in the IES selection procedure is personality test or personal interview conducted by IES officials for the shortlisted candidates.
UPSC Combined Medical Services Exam
The "Combined Medical Services" Examination or the CMS Exam is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission for recruitment as Medical Officer in various organizations such as the Indian Ordnance Factories, Indian Railways functioning under the Government of India. The Notification for the examination is usually released in the month of September and examination is conducted in January. Successful Candidates are admitted after an interview conducted by the UPSC for those having qualified the written examination.
UPSC Indian Forest Service Examination
Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts examination the Indian Forest Service (IFS) Examination as a Screening Test for selection to Indian Forest Service through Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination. The applicants will be selected on the basis of their performance in Preliminary Examination and Main Examination.
UPSC Special Class Railway Apprentice Examination
The Special Class Railway Apprentices (SCRA) Exam is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for the recruitment Special Class Apprentices in Mechanical Department of Indian Railways. The recruitment process for the UPSC SCRA will be held in two stages; written examination and personal interview (PI). Those who clear the written exam will be asked to appear in the PI. Those who qualify in the second and final round, i.e. the PI, will be recruited as SCRA by the Indian Railway.
Central Armed Police Force Examination
The Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for recruitment to the assistant commandants (Group A) in the Central Police Forces (CPF) – Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).
There are many other entrance tests conducted by UPSC. However the most popular ones are listed above