National conference of chairpersons of State Public Service Commissions (PSCs)

Syllabus:GS2/Polity and Governance

In News

• The 2025 national conference of chairpersons of the State Public Service Commissions (PSCs) is being hosted by the Telangana State Public Service Commission on December 19 and 20. 

Historical Linkages 

• Public Service Commissions (PSCs) in India emerged from the Independence struggle, rooted in the demand for merit-based civil services and self-rule. 
• The Montagu-Chelmsford Report (1918) proposed a politically independent office, leading to the creation of the first Union PSC in 1926. 
• The Government of India Act, 1935 extended this to provinces, and the Constitution continued these provisions. 
• Today, India has the UPSC at the Union level and State PSCs, primarily tasked with recruitment.

Structure at Union  and State Level 

• The UPSC operates in a politically neutral environment, with members appointed on merit, experience, and broad regional representation, usually senior and apolitical. It benefits from the Union government’s vast manpower needs, financial resources, and a dedicated Ministry of Personnel (est. 1985), ensuring regular recruitment cycles and timely examinations.
• State PSCs function in politically influenced settings, often bypassing conventional eligibility norms. 
• With limited, unplanned manpower needs, financial constraints, and no dedicated personnel ministry, states frequently delay recruitment, extend retirement ages, and conduct exams irregularly.

How do they work and Related Issues 

• The UPSC ensures credibility through periodic expert committees to update syllabi, nationwide talent for paper-setting, robust score moderation, and swift systemic reforms balancing transparency with confidentiality, reducing litigation.
• In contrast, State PSCs rarely revise syllabi, rely on limited local resources, struggle with moderation, and face complex reservation calculations, leading to frequent legal disputes, delays, and declining trust. 
• Many aspirants express preference for UPSC to conduct exams, underscoring the need for time-bound structural and procedural reforms in State PSCs.

Key reforms proposed for strengthening State PSCs 

• State PSC recruitment exams are frequently marred by controversies and legal challenges, causing delays and eroding trust.
• Major Reforms should include systematised manpower planning through a dedicated personnel ministry with a five-year recruitment roadmap.
• Constitutional amendment fixing member age limits at 55–65 and stipulating qualifications (senior civil service experience for official members, 10 years in recognised professions for non-officials), with Opposition consultation to ensure integrity.
• Periodic syllabus revision aligned with UPSC, incorporating public consultation, objective testing for state-specific subjects, mixed exam formats, accurate translation, and safeguards against AI misuse.
• Appointment of a senior officer as Secretary for effective supervision.
  • By balancing transparency with confidentiality, these measures would make State PSCs vibrant and credible, on par with the UPSC.

Source : TH