The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and State Public Service Commissions (State PSCs) are constitutional bodies in India responsible for recruiting candidates for civil services, but they differ in their scope, functions, and examination processes.
1. Constitutional Basis
- UPSC: Established under Article 315 of the Indian Constitution, UPSC is a central recruiting agency responsible for conducting examinations for All India Services and Central Services.
- State PSC: Also established under Article 315, each state has its own Public Service Commission to recruit for state-specific services. They operate under the guidance of the state government but maintain independence in their functioning.
2. Scope and Jurisdiction
- UPSC: Operates at the national level and recruits for prestigious services like the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), and other Central Government services (e.g., IRS, IFoS).
- State PSC: Operates at the state level and recruits for state-specific services like State Civil Services (e.g., Deputy Collector, Deputy Superintendent of Police, etc.) and other state government posts. Each state has its own PSC, such as MPSC (Maharashtra), UPPSC (Uttar Pradesh), BPSC (Bihar), etc.
3. Examinations Conducted
- UPSC: Conducts major examinations like:
- Civil Services Examination (CSE): For IAS, IPS, IFS, etc.
- Combined Defence Services (CDS): For recruitment into the Indian Armed Forces.
- Engineering Services Examination (ESE): For technical posts.
- Indian Forest Service (IFoS) Examination, CAPF Examination, etc.
- State PSC: Conducts state-specific examinations, such as:
- State Civil Services Exams (e.g., PCS in Uttar Pradesh, MPSC in Maharashtra).
- Exams for state-specific posts like Deputy Collector, Tehsildar, Block Development Officer, etc.
- Other departmental exams for state government jobs.
4. Exam Pattern
- UPSC:
- The Civil Services Exam has three stages: Prelims, Mains, and Interview.
- Prelims: Two objective papers (General Studies and CSAT).
- Mains: Nine descriptive papers (including essay, optional subjects, and general studies).
- Interview: Personality test.
- The syllabus is broad, covering national and international issues, governance, history, geography, etc.
- Highly competitive due to the national-level scope and limited vacancies.
- The Civil Services Exam has three stages: Prelims, Mains, and Interview.
- State PSC:
- Exam pattern varies across states but generally follows a similar structure: Prelims, Mains, and Interview.
- Syllabus focuses more on state-specific knowledge (e.g., state history, geography, culture, economy) alongside general studies.
- The difficulty level and competition vary depending on the state, but it is generally considered less intense than UPSC.
5. Eligibility Criteria
- UPSC:
- Age: 21–32 years (general category) for the Civil Services Exam, with relaxations for reserved categories.
- Education: Bachelor’s degree from a recognized university.
- Attempts: 6 attempts for general category candidates (more for reserved categories).
- State PSC:
- Age: Typically 21–40 years (varies by state), with relaxations for reserved categories.
- Education: Bachelor’s degree, similar to UPSC.
- Attempts: Varies by state; some states have no limit, while others cap attempts (e.g., 4–6 for general category).
- Some states may require knowledge of the state’s official language.
6. Posts and Services
- UPSC:
- Recruits for All India Services (IAS, IPS, IFS) and Central Services (IRS, IAAS, etc.).
- Officers can be posted anywhere in India or abroad (for IFS).
- State PSC:
- Recruits for state-specific services like State Administrative Service, State Police Service, etc.
- Officers are generally posted within the respective state.
7. Competition Level
- UPSC: Extremely competitive due to its national scope, with lakhs of candidates appearing for a few hundred vacancies (success rate ~0.2–0.3%).
- State PSC: Less competitive than UPSC, as the number of applicants and vacancies varies by state. Success rates are generally higher than UPSC but depend on the state.
8. Language and Medium
- UPSC: Exams are conducted in English and Hindi, with optional papers available in multiple languages listed in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution.
- State PSC: Exams are conducted in English, Hindi, and often the state’s official language (e.g., Marathi for MPSC, Tamil for TNPSC). Knowledge of the state language is sometimes mandatory.
9. Transferability and Cadre
- UPSC: Officers recruited through UPSC (e.g., IAS, IPS) are allotted a cadre (state or group of states) but can be transferred across states or to central government roles.
- State PSC: Officers are recruited for state-specific services and typically serve within the state. Transfers outside the state are rare.
10. Prestige and Career Growth
- UPSC: Considered more prestigious due to the national-level scope, higher responsibilities, and opportunities to work at the central government level or in international roles.
- State PSC: Offers a prestigious career within the state, with opportunities to serve in key state administrative and police roles. However, career progression is generally limited to state-level postings.
11. Preparation Strategy
- UPSC:
- Requires a comprehensive study of national and international issues, standard reference books (e.g., NCERTs, Laxmikanth for Polity), and current affairs.
- Demands a longer preparation time (1–2 years or more) due to the vast syllabus and high competition.
- State PSC:
- Requires focus on state-specific topics (history, geography, economy, culture) in addition to general studies.
- Preparation time may be shorter than UPSC, depending on the state’s exam difficulty and syllabus.
12. Salary and Perks
- UPSC: Officers (IAS, IPS, etc.) receive a standardized pay scale as per the 7th Pay Commission, with additional allowances. Salaries are generally higher due to central government benefits.
- State PSC: Salaries vary by state but are also based on the 7th Pay Commission. State PSC officers may receive slightly lower pay and fewer perks compared to UPSC-recruited officers.
