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Home / IAS Preparation / UPSC Full Form

UPSC Full Form - Union Public Service Commission | History, Functions, List of Exams And More!

Last Updated on May 12, 2025
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UPSC Full Form is the Union Public Service Commission. It is a constitutional body in India responsible for conducting various competitive exams, including All India Services, Central Services, Cadres, and the Armed Forces of India. 

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What is the Full Form of UPSC? 

The full form of UPSC is the Union Public Service Commission. It is a constitutional body in India responsible for conducting various examinations and selecting candidates for recruitment to the civil services and other allied services of the Indian government.

UPSC Full Form in Marathi

UPSC चा पूर्ण फॉर्म म्हणजेच 'Union Public Service Commission', ज्याला मराठीत 'संघ लोकसेवा आयोग' असे म्हणतात. ही भारत सरकारच्या विविध सेवांमध्ये अधिकारी निवडण्यासाठी जबाबदार असलेली एक संवैधानिक संस्था आहे. UPSC ची स्थापना 1 ऑक्टोबर 1926 रोजी झाली होती आणि तिचे मुख्यालय नवी दिल्ली येथे आहे. या आयोगाचे प्रमुख कार्य म्हणजे भारतीय प्रशासन सेवा (IAS), भारतीय पोलिस सेवा (IPS), भारतीय परराष्ट्र सेवा (IFS) आणि इतर केंद्रीय सेवांमध्ये अधिकारी निवडण्यासाठी परीक्षा आयोजित करणे. UPSC च्या परीक्षा प्रक्रिया तीन टप्प्यांमध्ये घेतली जाते: प्रिलिम्स (पूर्व परीक्षा), मेन्स (मुख्य परीक्षा) आणि मुलाखत (व्यक्तिमत्व चाचणी). ही परीक्षा देशातील सर्वात कठीण आणि प्रतिष्ठित मानली जाते. UPSC च्या माध्यमातून निवडलेले अधिकारी देशाच्या प्रशासनात महत्त्वपूर्ण भूमिका बजावतात आणि प्रशासन प्रणालीला सशक्त बनवतात.

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History of UPSC 
  • The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) was set up in 1926 as a result of the Government of India Act, 1919.
  • Initially, it was known as the Federal Public Service Commission. It was responsible for recruiting civil servants for the British Indian government.
  • After India gained independence in 1947, the commission was renamed as the Union Public Service Commission.
  • The UPSC is mandated to conduct examinations like the Civil Services Examination, Engineering Services Examination, National Defence Academy Examination, Combined Medical Services Examination, and many more.
  • The commission operates independently. It is tasked with selecting candidates based on their merits and suitability for various government positions.

List of Examinations Conducted by UPSC 

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is a central agency in India that conducts various examinations for the recruitment of officers into Group A and Group B services of the Indian Government. Here is a list of some of the major examinations conducted by UPSC:

  • Civil Services Examination (CSE): To recruit candidates in All India Civil Services (IAS, IPS, and IFoS) & Other Central Civil Services (IFS, IRS, IRPS, IAAS, IA & AS, ICLS, IDAS, ETC.)
  • Indian Economic Service Examination (IES)
  • Indian Statistical Service Examination (ISS)
  • Combined Defence Services Examination (CDS)
  • Combined Medical Services Examination (CMS)
  • National Defence Academy & Naval Academy Examination (NDA & NA-I)
  • Engineering Services Examination (ESE/IES)
  • Central Armed Police Forces Examination (CAPF)
  • Special Class Railway Apprentice (SCRA) Examination.
  • Combined Geo-Scientist and Geologist Examination
  • Various Recruitment examinations for UPSC EPFO, etc.

Check out the UPSC Annual Calendar here!

Major Functions of UPSC

UPSC is a constitutionally independent body. The duties of the UPSC are discussed in Article 320 of the constitution. The main function of UPSC is to conduct group A & B examinations for the recruits to the various services of the Union. However, the UPSC also performs the following functions:

  • Conducting interviews and personality tests for direct recruitment candidates for various positions.
  • To appoint officers on promotion, deputation, and absorption.
  • Creating and amending recruitment rules for various government services and positions for better recruitment practices and procedures.
  • Advising the Government on recruitment, appointment, transfer, disciplinary actions, and any other matters referred to the Commission by the President of India.
  • It shall also be the duty of the UPSC to create joint recruitment schemes for specialized services if requested by two or more states.

Get all the details of the UPSC Exam Pattern here!

Appendix for Union Public Service Commission

Part XIV of the Indian Constitution deals with services under the Union and the States, and Articles 315 to 323 provide for the establishment of public service commissions for the Union and each state.

  • Article 315 mandates the establishment of a Union Public Service Commission at the Union level. 
  • Like the Election commission of India, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is also an autonomous and independent constitutional body that operates with complete freedom in conducting various examinations for Group A and Group B services of the Indian Government.

Appointment of Member in UPSC

Article 316, outlines the provisions related to the appointment of the Chairman and members of the UPSC (Union Public Service Commission). According to Article 316, the Chairman and other members of the UPSC shall be appointed by the President of India. However, In the case of a State Commission, Chairman and members are appointed by the Governor of the concerned State.

Article 318 of the Constitution of India empowered the President of India to determine the number of members of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and their conditions of service. 

Tenure of Member in UPSC

The term of office of the Chairman and members of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) shall be six years or until they attain the age of sixty-five years, whichever is earlier. However, In the case of a State Commission or a Joint Commission, the tenure is 6 years or until they attain the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.

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Removal of Member in UPSC

Article 317, deals with the removal and suspension of the Chairman or a member of a UPSC or Public Service Commission.

  • According to this article, a Chairman or a member of a UPSC can only be removed from office by the President of India for misbehaviour after the Supreme Court has stated in its report that the Chairman or member should be removed.

Further, the President of India may remove the Chairman or any other member of a Public Service Commission from office by executive order if the Chairman or such other member, as the case may be;

  • If the member is adjudged an insolvent or bankrupt.
  • If the member engages in paid employment outside the duties of their office. 
  • If the member holds an office of profit.
  • If the member is unfit to continue in office due to physical or mental incapacity.

Conditions for Reappointment of Member in UPSC

Article 319 says Chairman of the UPSC cannot be reappointed to the same post after the expiry of their term. However, the Chairman of the State Commission may be appointed as the Chairman or any other member of the UPSC or the Chairman of any other State Public Service Commission. However, neither the UPSC nor the PSC Chairmans are eligible for employment under the State Government or the Government of India.

  • Similarly, the other members of the UPSC or State Commission can be appointed as Chairman of the respective Commission. Further, the other members of the State Commission can be appointed as Chairman of either respective Commission or any other State Public Service or as a member of UPSC.
  • However, they cannot be appointed to any other government employment at the state or union level after their term as Chairman or member of the Commission has expired.
  • This provision ensures that the UPSC and State commission members retain their independence and impartiality.

Read the article to understand the IAS Full Form in detail!

Eligibility Criteria for Attending UPSC Exams

To appear in the UPSC Civil Services Examination candidates must meet the following minimum qualifications:

Qualifications for Writing UPSC IAS Exams

Nationality

The candidate should be a citizen of India or a subject of Bhutan/Nepal, or a Tibetan refugee who came to India before January 1, 1962.

Educational Qualification

The candidate must hold a bachelor's degree from a recognized university or institution. However, there is no minimum percentage requirement for the degree.

Age Limit

The candidate must be at least 21 years old and not more than 32 years old. However, there are age relaxations for candidates belonging to certain categories, such as SC/ST, OBC, and others.

Number of Attempts

The number of attempts for the UPSC Civil Services Examination is limited to six for General Category candidates, nine for OBC candidates, and unlimited for SC/ST candidates.

Get the list of Best Books For UPSC Prelims & Mains Exam here to boost your UPSC preparation!

What is the Difference between UPSC and IAS? 

The UPSC and the IAS are both important parts of the Central Government, but their roles and responsibilities are distinct. 

  • The UPSC is a central recruiting agency responsible for conducting exams to select candidates for various Group A and Group B services of the central Government, including the Civil Services (IAS, IPS, IFS, IRS, etc.), armed forces (Army, Navy, Air Force), engineering services, and others. The UPSC conducts these exams annually and selects candidates based on their performance in the exams and other eligibility criteria. 
  • On the other hand, the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) is the administrative arm of the All India Services of the Government of India, along with the Indian Police Service (IPS) and the Indian Forest Service (IFoS). The IAS is considered to be India's premier civil service and is responsible for the administrative functions of the States as well as the Central Government, including policy formulation, implementation, supervision, etc.

Check out the test series for UPSC IAS Exam here. 

Summing Up!

UPSC is an abbreviation for Union Public Service Commission and it was established in 1926. It is headquartered in New Delhi. The UPSC is a central recruitment agency in India responsible for conducting examinations and interviews for appointments to various services of the Indian government, including civil services, engineering services, combined defence services, combined medical services, etc.


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UPSC Full Form FAQs

Yes, candidates who have completed their 12th Class or equivalent can apply for certain UPSC exams such as the National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination (NDA & NA-I). However, most other UPSC exams require a bachelor's degree from any recognized university.

No, IAS and UPSC are not the same. The UPSC is a recruiting body that conducts various examinations, including Civil Services Examination, whereas IAS is one of the three arms of the All India Services of the Government of India, along with the Indian Police Service (IPS) and the Indian Forest Service (IFoS).

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) recruits IAS (Indian Administrative Service) and IPS (Indian Police Service) officers in India through the Civil Services Examination.

The IAS (Indian Administrative Service) Exam, conducted by the UPSC annually, has three stages: IAS Prelims, IAS Mains, and the UPSC Personality Test (IAS Interview).

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) was established on October 1, 1926, as per the provisions of the Government of India Act 1919.
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