While India’s first Home Minister, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, called civil servants the ‘steel frame of India’, they are often referred to as the ‘permanent executive’ as well. From its colonial roots to its present form, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has effectively supplied the nation with its steel frame and its permanent executive, and upheld its role as the guardian of meritocracy.
Indian Civil Services: from patronage to merit-based system
The roots of India’s civil services can be traced back to the British East India Company. Governor-General Lord Cornwallis, often referred to as the ‘Father of the Civil Services in India’, laid the foundation of the Indian Civil Services (ICS) through the Cornwallis Code of 1793.
Initially, the selection to the civil services was based purely on the patronage of the directors of the British East India Company. However, this was replaced with a merit-based system through competitive examinations in 1854 following the recommendations by the Lord Macaulay Committee. The Charter Act of 1853 officially ended the Company’s patronage.
On the recommendations of the Lord Macaulay Committee, a Civil Service Commission (CSC) was set up in 1854 in London and competitive examinations were started in 1855. Since the CSC conducted the ICS examinations in London with significant emphasis on European classics, it became difficult for Indians to succeed. Despite such hurdles, Satyendranath Tagore became the first Indian to join the ICS in 1864, followed by a handful of other Indians who succeeded in joining the ICS.
After the Montagu Chelmsford reforms of 1919, the ICS examinations began to be held in India from 1922, with one-third of posts reserved for Indians. Based on the recommendations of the Lee Commission (1924), a Public Service Commission was established on October 1, 1926. Later on, the Government of India Act of 1935 formally established the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) in 1937. The FPSC became the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) with the adoption of the Indian Constitution in 1950, which granted it constitutional status under Article 315.
Mandate and responsibilities
The UPSC is governed by a chairman and a body of members, all appointed by the President. The Constitution mandates that at least half of the members must have a minimum of ten years of experience in government service. The chairman and members serve a fixed term of six years or until the age of 65, whichever is earlier. The commission’s work is supported by its secretariat, which includes dedicated wings for examinations and direct recruitment. Earlier this year, Dr. Ajay Kumar, a distinguished retired IAS officer and former Defence Secretary, was appointed as the new Chairman.
The UPSC’s constitutional mandate is laid out in Articles 315-323 of the Constitution, with Article 320 detailing its core functions. The UPSC is India’s premier body for conducting examinations for appointments to the three All-India Services (IAS, IPS, IFS), the Central Services, and various other key government posts. It also frames and amends recruitment rules for various services and posts.
The commission’s most prominent task is conducting the coveted Civil Services Examination (CSE), which recruits for 24 different central services. Further, it conducts examinations for other posts of national importance, including the Indian Economic Service (IES) and the Combined Defence Services (CDS).
Thus, the primary function of the commission is to recruit young and qualified Indians to serve across various arms of the government. In doing so, it upholds India’s merit-based administrative system by ensuring that selection is based purely on a candidate’s aptitude, knowledge, and merit, free from any form of political patronage.
Further, the UPSC plays an advisory role, guiding the government on disciplinary matters and ensuring that due process and fairness are maintained. The commission’s role in recruitment also extends to specialist positions, where it selects experts directly based on their qualifications and interviews, without a written examination.
In addition, the President of India consults the UPSC on matters related to recruitment, promotions, and transfers of officers. Under Article 323, it is required to submit an annual report to the President, detailing its work and recommendations.
If requested, the commission is also tasked with assisting two or more states in conducting joint recruitments to services. Under Article 321, Parliament has the authority to extend the functions of the UPSC beyond those originally assigned. However, the institution is facing some contemporary challenges.
Challenges and reforms
One of the challenges for the UPSC is to maintain its firm commitment to fair, merit-based competition, as millions of young Indians view its examination as a means to a bright future accessible to all. Therefore, ensuring the integrity of the selection process is crucial.
Another issue lies in the lengthy selection process, particularly in the case of the CSE, which often spans over a year from prelims to final results. This has long been criticised for causing aspirants to spend several of their productive years in repeated attempts, with many not able to reach final selection.
Moreover, there is a growing recognition of the need to recruit domain specialists to address contemporary challenges such as climate change and AI, as opposed to the traditional generalist-oriented recruitment processes of the UPSC.
In response to these challenges, the UPSC has initiated key reforms. To strengthen integrity and make the application processes easier, it has introduced the One Time Registration (OTR) platform for all its examinations. The UPSC has also made the application rules stricter, such as submission of documents at the preliminary stage itself, to curb fraudulent claims of reservation benefits (recall the recent case of a Maharashtra cadre IAS officer).
The commission has been regularly reviewing its examination patterns and is exploring new mechanisms to directly recruit domain specialists and technical experts in order to ensure that the civil services remain relevant to the evolving needs of governance. There have also been discussions on reducing the time taken for the entire recruitment cycle. This will require better scheduling and faster processing of results, which would help address delays and retain the best talent.
Even as it faces some challenges, the UPSC remains a dynamic institution that continues to evolve through reforms. A strong and effective UPSC is essential for a competent and effective bureaucracy, fulfilling India’s quest to be a developed nation by 2047.
Post read questions
From colonial roots to constitutional body, the UPSC has evolved over the years. Discuss its role in ensuring a fair and merit-based recruitment system.
Describe the UPSC’s advisory role in matters of recruitment, promotions, and disciplinary cases.
The lengthy recruitment cycle of the Civil Services Examination has long been criticised for causing aspirants to spend several of their productive years in repeated attempts, with many not able to reach final selection. Do you agree? Suggest remedies.
What are the key reforms that the UPSC has taken recently to improve transparency and efficiency?
(Kannan K is a Doctoral candidate at the Centre for Economic and Social Studies, Hyderabad)
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The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), the Constitutional Authority, will be marking 100 years of its existence on October 1, 2025. (File) 
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