UPSC, we've all heard of it, but many of us aren't entirely sure what it entails. Shrouded in a lot of illusion, with plenty of hyperbole and misconceptions attached to it, UPSC administers numerous recruitment exams, including the widely known Civil Services Examination (CSE), but its scope extends far beyond that single exam.
It conducts some of the most challenging exams in the country, tasked with recruiting officers for the highest echelons of the Indian government. Beyond the well-known Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), and Indian Police Service (IPS), most students are unfamiliar with the array of services and exams conducted by this board.
Hence, EdexLive is here to simplify and demystify what UPSC is and has to offer.
What is UPSC?
UPSC stands for the Union Public Service Commission. It's a constitutional body in India that conducts various examinations for recruitment into the civil services and other central government posts.
CSE is one of the most prominent exams conducted by the UPSC, through which candidates are selected for prestigious posts such as IAS, IPS, IFS, and several other Group A and Group B services.
Apart from CSE, UPSC conducts a range of exams including Indian Forest Service Examination (IFoS), Engineering Services Examination (ESE), Combined Defence Services Examination (CDS), National Defence Academy Examination (NDA), Naval Academy Examination (NA), and Combined Medical Services Examination (CMS), among others. These exams cater to diverse fields and recruit candidates for administrative, engineering, defence, medical, and other government services. CSE itself offers 24 services under it.
When is UPSC?
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) was established on October 1, 1926, and was initially called the Public Service Commission. Post-independence it became the Union Public Service commission and was later given a constitutional status on January 26 1950. The primary objective of the body is to conduct civil service examinations for recruitment to various government services and posts.
The exams under UPSC are conducted throughout the year for various civil service and central government positions. CSE is typically held annually, however, it usually consists of three stages: the Preliminary Examination, the Main Examination, and the Personality Test (Interview). Those who wish to appear for Indian Forest Service examination (IFoS) are also required to clear the CSE Preliminary examination and then appear for a separate Mains and interview exclusively for IFoS.
What's more?
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is known for its objective and transparent selection process. The exam process includes multiple stages of evaluation, such as written examinations, interviews, and personality tests. This selection procedure comprehensively assesses the knowledge, aptitude, and suitability of candidates for central government positions.
In addition, UPSC conducts exams for various roles, such as administrative, technical, medical, engineering, defence, and environmental management. These exams offer a diverse range of career opportunities in the central government. In our upcoming series, we will examine these exams in detail to provide a comprehensive understanding of the exams, however, here a list of some of the major exams conducted by UPSC and the roles they cover:
