UPSC INTRODUCTION
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On roots of the UPSC Civil Services go back a long way in human history. The key to the survival of the ancient Egyptian civilization, which flourished as early as 3000 BC, was the civil service- the historical model of all the later bureaucracies. The waterways for the civilization needed central management, which required a body of officials. Once in place, officials found their second realm of business in the extensive construction activities, organized along military lines. It was only a matter of time before they took over the administration of the entire state.
In India, the legends of the Aryans speak of the evolution of the administrative apparatus. The gods, at war with eh demons, were on the verge of defeat. In desperation, they got together and elected a king to lead them. The origins of the early Aryan administrative system may perhaps be traced to these legends.
Subsequently, the bureaucratic system in India evolved through the periods of the Delhi Sultanate, the Mauryan Empire, the Mughal Rule, and the British Colonial Empire.
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The present civil service structure in India traces its origin to the Macaulay Committee under Lord Macaulay. The committee gave India its first modern civil service in 1854 and recommended that the patronage-based system of the East India Company should be replaced by a permanent civil service, entry into which would be based on merit through a competitive entrance examination. While designing the civil service after Independence, the Indian political leaders chose to retain elements of the British structure of a unified administrative system, such as an open-entry system based on academic achievements, elaborate training arrangements, permanency of tenure, importance posts at the Union, state, and district levels reserved for the civil service, a regular graduated scale of pay with pension and other benefits, and a system of promotions and transfers based predominantly on seniority.
These Civil Services are far superior to any job in the private sector. They run the entire administration of the country. The elected ministers of India lay down the policies required to properly run the administrative machinery, which is then executed by the civil servants in various central and state government agencies.
The importance of Civil Services in a democracy like India is very high. For effective administration, it is vital that our political leaders are given non.-partisan advice, based on effective coordination between the various institutions of governance. The Government of India expects the civil servants to fulfill their responsibility towards the public by offering frank and unbiased advice to the government (irrespective of who is in power).
The Civil Services in India are grouped into three broad categories. Services whose members serve both the Union and the state governments are termed All-India Services. Services whose members serve only the Union government are termed Central Civil Service. Apart from these, the state governments have their group of services, the State Civil Services.
1.1 Union Public Service Commission
Civil servants are selected through various examinations conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), including the Civil Services Examination. UPSC is the central authority that conducts various examinations to recruit candidates for various Group A and Group B government services such as All-India Services, Central Civil Services, Indian Forest Service, Indian Economic Service, Indian Statistical Service, Indian Engineering Services, and Indian Defence Services.
The origin of the Public Service Commission in India dates back to 1919 when the First Dispatch of the Government of India, on Indian Constitutional Reforms on 5 March 1919, referred to the need for setting up a permanent office for the regulation of service matters. In furtherance to it, Section 96(C) of the Government of India Act, 1919, provided for the establishment of a Public Service Commission to ‘discharge, in regard to recruitment and control fo the Public Services in India, such functions as may be assigned thereto by the rules made by the Secretary of State in Council’. After this, the Lee Commission also recommended setting up a Pubic Service Commission, which was set up on 1 October 1926. The first member of this commission was Sir Ross Barker.
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After the passage of the Government of India Act, 1935, this Public Service Commission was converted into the Federal Public Service Commission, Following the enforcement of the constitution on 26 January 1950, the Federal Public Service Commission was renamed as the Union Public Service Commission. The Commission is constituted under Article 315 of the Constitution.
The functions of the UPSC are described in Article 320 of the Constitution. These functions are as follows:
- Conduct examinations for appointment to the services of the Union
- Direct recruitment by selection through interviews.
- Appointment of officers on promotion/deputation/absorption.
- Framing and amendment of recruitment rules for various services and posts under the Government.
- Disciplinary cases relating to different Civil Services.
- Advising the Government on any matter referred to the Commission by the President of India.
1.2 Major Examinations conducted by the UPSC
The various examinations conducted by UPSC are the following:
- Civil Services Examination (recruitment to 25 different All-India Services and Central Civil Services)
- Indian Economic Service (IES) Examination
- Indian Statistical Services (ISS) Examination
- Engineering Service Examination
- Central Defence Service (CDS) Examination
- Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) Examination
- National Defence Academy (NDA) and Naval Academy Examination
- Combined Geo-Scientist and Geologist’s Examination
- Indian Forest Service Examination
In the following chapters, we will discuss the details of the following services:
- 20 All-India Services and Central Civil Services recruited through the Civil Services Examination
- Indian Forest Service
- Indian Economic Service
- Indian Statistical Service
We have not discussed the profit of Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Civil Service ( DANICS); Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Police Service (DANIPS); Puducherry Civil Service (PCS); and Puducherry Police Service (PPS); as they are the Group B services of IAS and IPS, having a similar work profile.
1.3 The Civil Services Examination
The Civil Services Examination is conducted every year for appointing Group A and Group B officers from across India into 24 different All-India Services and Central Civil Services. The selection process consists of three stages – the preliminary examination, the main examination, and the personality test (or interview). These three stages are described in the following sections.
1.3.1 The Preliminary Examination
The UPSC prelims examination is the first stage of the selection process in the UPSC Civil Services Examination. This is an elimination round, with the aim of shortlisting candidates (around) 15,000-17,000 which is about 12-15 times the number of available vacancies) who would appear in the main examination. It is held every year nay time between May and August. A candidate can apply for the examination through the website www.upsc.gov.in
The examination comprises two papers of 200 marks each.
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Paper 1: Paper 1, also known as General Studies Paper 1, is oriented towards testing the general awareness of the candidates in a variety of subjects including Indian and world history, Indian and world geography, science and technology, Indian culture, Indian polity, economy, environment and ecology, and topics of current affairs. It consists of 100 questions of 2 marks each. It is the most important paper as it decides whether a candidate would be allowed to appear in the main examination or not.
Paper 2: Paper 2, also known as the Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) or General Studies Paper 2, is intended to test the general mental ability of the candidate. It tests the candidate’s reading comprehension, logical reasoning analytical ability, decision making, basic quantitative aptitude, and data interpretation skills. It consists of 80 questions of 2.5 marks each. This paper is only of qualifying nature and a candidate has to score at least 33% of the total marks.
Only the marks scored in Paper 1 are considered for shortlisting candidates that would appear at the next stage of the examination. However, these marks are not added to the marks secured in the main examination and interview for determining the final rank of the aspirant.
1.3.1 The UPSC Main Examination
The UPSC main examination is the most important part of the whole process, as it carries the maximum number of marks (1750) in the whole process. After qualifying in the preliminary examination, a candidate is required to fill the detailed application form (DAF). The form contains personal details, choice of optional subject, service preference order, and cadre preference order (for All-India Services) of a candidate. The form needs to be submitted online at the website of UPSC within the prescribed dates.
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The main examination is conducted between October and December. It consists of nine papers, each of 3 hours duration. Two paper is scheduled on a day. The process can go on continuously for 5-6 days. Thus, it is a tough task, which requires high mental and physical alertness. The following papers are a part of the main examination:
- English Language Paper: This paper tests the proficiency of a candidate in the English language. It carries 300 marks. It tests the skills of a candidate in essay writing. Unseen passages, and English grammar. This paper is only of qualifying nature, and these marks are not added to the total marks secured in the main examination. A candidate needs to secure the minimum qualifying marks in this paper (generally between 75 and 90).
- Indian Language Paper: This paper tests the proficiency of a candidate in any chosen language from among those mentioned in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. The nature of the test is similar to that of the English language paper. A candidate needs to secure only minimum marks to qualify for the next stage (90-100)
- Essay Paper: This paper tests the writing skills comprehension skills, and general knowledge of a candidate by way of essay writing. This paper carries 200 marks. The marks secured in this paper determine the rank in the final merit list.
- General Studies Paper 1: This paper tests the knowledge of the candidate in the subjects of Indian and world history, Indian culture, Indian and world geography, environment and ecology, Indian sociology, developmental issues, urbanization issues, and women-related issues. It carries 250 marks. The marks secured in this paper determine the rank in the final merit list.
- General Studies Paper 2: This examination tests the knowledge of the candidate in the subjects of polity, constitution, governance, social justice, development, and international relations. This paper also carries 250 marks. The marks secured in this paper determine the rank in the final merit list.
- General Studies Paper 3: This examination tests the knowledge of the candidate in the subject's economy, agriculture, science and technology, environment, biodiversity, disaster management, and internal security. This paper also carries 250 marks. The marks secured in this paper determine the rank in the final merit list.
- General Studies Paper 4: This examination does not test any knowledge, but the general orientation of the candidate towards topics like ethics, integrity, civil services aptitude, attitude, and emotional intelligence. It also tests the understanding of the candidate for solving real-life ethics case studies. This paper again carries 250 marks. The marks secured in this paper determine the rank in the final merit list.
- Optional Subject Paper 1: A candidate has to choose from a list of optional subjects. The paper tests the in-depth knowledge of the candidate in this optional subject, and the subject coverage is generally of the level of bachelor’s and master’s degrees in that subject. It also carries 250 marks. The marks secured in this paper determine the rank in the final merit list.
- Optional Subject Paper 2. This paper is the extension of Paper 1 and also carries 250 marks. The marks secured in this paper determine the rank in the final merit list.
Thus, the main examination carries a total of 1750 marks. These marks are very crucial in determining the final rank of a candidate. The medium of the examination can be either English language or any other language from those mentioned n the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
1.3.3 The Personality Test/Interview
Around 2500-3500 candidates from those that appear in the main examination are shortlisted and called for appearing at the final stage of the Civil Service Examination, i.e., in the personality test/interview. It is the final effort candidate makes to convert himself/herself from a civil service aspirant into a civil servant.
As stated by the UPSC, the purpose of the interview is to "assess the personal suitability of the candidate for a career in public service."
It follows from this that the interview process is geared towards judging the personal suitability of the candidate for civil Services. The process judges the candidate on qualities like his/her bent of mind, ability to analyses a situation from all angles, awareness of current issues, ethical values, coherence in views, mental alertness, the balance of judgment, integrity, objectivity, and concern for the weaker sections of the society.
The UPSC Civil Services Personality Test is an unstructured discussion in which the interviewers allow a natural course to be followed. They provide an environment in which the candidate can calmly give his/her views. It carries 275 marks.
The whole examination process, i.e., the main examination and the personality test, carries a total of 2025 marks. The number of marks a candidate secures, out of these 2025 marks, determines their final ranking in the examination.
1.3.4 Services Recruited through the Civil Services Examination
The civil service allocated to a candidate depends on his/her final rank and his/her service preference. The following services are recruited by the UPSC Civil Services Examination:
- Indian Administrative Service (IAS)
- Indian Foreign Service (IFS)
- Indian Police Service (IPS)
- Indian Post and Telecommunication Accounts and Finance Service (IP & TAFS)
- Indian Audit and Accounts Services (IAAS)
- Indian revenue Service-Customs and Central Excise (IRS-C&CE)
- Indian Defense Accounts Services (IDAS)
- Indian Revenue Service-Income Tax (IRS-IT)
- Indian Ordnance Factories Service (IOFS)
- Indian Corporate Law Service (ICLS)
- Indian Civil Accounts Service (ICAS)
- Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS)
- Indian Railway Account Service (IRAS)
- Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS)
- Indian Railway Protection Force (RPF)
- Indian Defense Estates Services (IDES)
- Indian Information Service (IIS)
- Indian Trade Service (ITS)
- Indian Postal Services (IPOS)
- Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Service (AFHQCS)
- Delhi and Andaman Nicobar Islands Civil Services (DANICS)
- Delhi and Andaman Nicobar Islands Police Service (DANIPS)
- Puducherry Civil Service (PCS)
- Puducherry Police Services (PPS)
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