Union Public Service Commission

The Indian Constitution prescribes the formation of constitutional bodies. There are many independent authorities under constitutional bodies out of which Union Public Service Commission is one of the independent authorities. Union Public Service Commission is the central recruiting agency of the country. Article 315 to 323 in Part XIV of the constitution talks about UPSC. Union Public Service Commission is visualised as the watchdog of the merit system of the country. It mainly focuses on conducting the exams for appointment to services under the Union. UPSC maintains the continuity of the administration.

Constitutional Bodies

The Indian constitution prescribes the formation of the constitutional authorities. Its rights and powers are in the hand of the Constitution itself. The constitutional bodies’ powers and functions cannot be changed by any regular, private, or government bill but only by passing a constitutional amendment bill. There are various bodies under the Constitution of India, and the real meaning of constitutional bodies will be understood after reading the full article. The authorities enjoy different powers, have different features and functions, and have different responsibilities that they need to fulfil. 

Constitutional bodies have many responsibilities and perform many functions according to which a country or a state is constituted or governed.

Some  important Functions of the Constitution are the following:

• The most important function of the constitution is to ensure the fundamental rights of its citizens
• The constitution is responsible for laying out the procedures for several administrations, functions, execution of the government machinery, and legislation

• A set of basic rules is provided by the constitution that maintains the harmony of society
• The specification of who makes decisions in society lies in the hand of the constitution
• The constitution limits the government to impose decisions on the citizens
• The constitution encourages the government to fulfil citizens’ aspirations
• The constitution limits the government to impose decisions on the citizens
• The constitution encourages the government to fulfil citizens’ aspirations
• The constitution defines the powers of the organs of government
• It states the fundamental principles, aspirations and objectives of a country
• It helps to protect the rights of the citizens
• It helps to prevent arbitrarily ruled by the leaders
• It explains the “do’s and don’ts of the government
• It specifies the system of government to be adopted

Various Constitutional Bodies

• Election Commission
• Finance Commission
• State Public Service Commission
• Attorney General of India
• Comptroller and Auditor General of India
• Advocate General of the State
• Inter-State Council
• Goods and Services Tax Council
• Union Public Service Commission

Composition of Union Public Service Commission

• UPSC consists of a chairperson and other members; the number of other members is left to the discretion of the President
• Generally, the number of members in the Commission, including the chairpersons, are nine to eleven
• They hold office for six years or until they achieve the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier

Removal of Union Public Service Commission

Only the president has the authority and power to remove the chairman and other Union public service commission members. There are some cases and situations for removing the chairman and other members of the Union public service commission. Only the president can remove the chairman and the other union public service commission members if any situation happens.

• The president can remove the chairman and other members of UPSC under the following situations

1. If he’s adjudged an insolvent.
2. While in office, if he engages in paid employment.
3. If he gets unfit because of the infirmity of mind or body. 
4. If there is any misbehaviour from his side.

• In the case of misbehaviour, the president has to refer the matter to the Supreme Court for enquiry. The advice of the Supreme Court is binding on the president.

Independence of Union Public Service Commission:

Following are some measures of independence enjoyed by the chairman and the other members of the Union public service commission.

• There is a favour offered to the members of UPSC and the chairman, and that is the security of tenure
• Their entire expenses are charged on the consolidated Fund of India
• After the appointment, their conditions of service cannot be varied
• UPSC chairman is not eligible for any future employment in the Government of India or a state

Functions of Union Public Service Commission

• UPSC conducts the examinations for recruitment to all India services, central services and public services of union territories
• It assists the states in matters relating to  recruitment
• UPSC deals with all disciplinary matters affecting a person in a civil capacity
• It advises the president in appointments, promotions and transfers from one service to another civil servant
• It looks after the matters regarding the pension award and awards in respect to injuries sustained during service under the government

Conclusion

The Constitution of India is the supreme law of India. It lays down all the rules and regulations that the nation should abide by and is the framework for political principles, procedures, duties and powers of government. The constitution consists of many bodies that perform important functions and responsibilities for the betterment of the country. In this article, we discussed Union Public Service  Commission. It performs many functions and has many responsibilities. It mainly focuses on conducting the exams for appointment to services under the Union and maintains the administration’s continuity.