Public Service Commission

The establishment of a centralized, independent body for civil service recruitment in India was a prolonged process driven by nationalist demands for the Indianization of services and the need for structural administrative efficiency. Prior to its creation, recruitment was managed directly by the Civil Service Commissioners in London, which systematically disadvantaged Indian candidates.

Constitutional and Legislative Milestones

The Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms and Government of India Act, 1919

The Government of India Act 1919 provided the initial statutory blueprint for a central recruitment body. Section 96C of the Act mandated the establishment of a Public Service Commission in India to discharge functions regarding recruitment and control of the public services. However, due to bureaucratic delays and disagreements over its powers, the commission was not set up immediately.

The Lee Commission (1923–1924)

The Royal Commission on the Superior Civil Services in India, presided over by Lord Lee of Fareham, emphasized the urgent need to prevent political interference in appointments. It recommended that the statutory Public Service Commission contemplated by the 1819 Act be established without further delay.

Establishment of the Public Service Commission (1926)

Following the recommendations of the Lee Commission, the Central Public Service Commission was formally set up on October 1, 1926.

Composition and Leadership

• First Chairman: Sir Ross Barker, a distinguished member of the Home Civil Service of the United Kingdom.
• Members: The commission initially consisted of four other members apart from the chairman.

Functions and Limitations

The 1926 Commission possessed a strictly advisory character, a major point of contention for Indian nationalists.

• It was tasked with conducting competitive examinations for recruitment to the All-India Services and Central Services Class I and Class II.
• It advised the Government of India on disciplinary matters, methods of recruitment, and principles to be followed in making appointments and promotions.
• The executive government retained final authority and could bypass the Commission’s recommendations.

Expansion under the Government of India Act, 1935

The Government of India Act 1935 introduced a federal structure, which significantly transformed the public service commission framework by decentralizing recruitment and expanding institutional reach.

Structural Reorganisation

The Act bifurcated the mechanism into three distinct tiers to cater to the Federal government and the newly autonomous Provinces:

• Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC): Established at the center to recruit for federal services.
• Provincial Public Service Commission (PPSC): Established in each province (or group of provinces as a Joint Commission) to handle provincial civil service recruitments.
• Joint Public Service Commission (JPSC): Designed to serve the needs of two or more provinces concurrently upon their request.

Enhanced Constitutional Safeguards

To ensure autonomy from executive high-handedness, the 1935 Act introduced security of tenure for the Chairman and members of the FPSC. They could not be removed from office except by the Governor-General on grounds of misbehavior or infirmity.

Comparative Evolution of the Commissions

Post-Independence Transition

The institutional framework built during the British administration formed the bedrock of the independent Indian republic’s bureaucratic recruitment system. With the promulgation of the Constitution of India on January 26, 1950, the Federal Public Service Commission was accorded constitutional status under Article 315 and renamed the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).