Public Service Commission

State Public Service Commission: Everything you need to know

Mehwash Hussain
Mehwash Hussain
Posted on 19 Aug 2022
12:14 PM

WikiMedia Commons

ADVERTISEMENT
Summary
State Public Service Commission is one of the most sought-after government jobs in India at the state level
Each state conducts its own Public Service Commission exam where residents of the state as well as from other states can apply

Graduates wrestle with the decision of whether to accept a stable position in the government or one in the private sector that offers other opportunities. With over 17.61 million Indians employed in the public sector, the Government is one of the largest employers in our nation.

Every year, a significant number of candidates prepare to take recruitment exams in order to get hired for government positions. The most important of these are conducted by various State Public Service Commissions (PSC). Among state-level government officials, the position of a State Civil Services Officer is highly regarded. Every state holds its own PSC examinations. Many candidates view it as a substitute for the national UPSC or Civil Service exams. Let's explore more about the PSC examinations.

What is the State Public Service Commission?

ADVERTISEMENT

Sections 315 to 323 of the Indian Constitution give the Public Service Commission (PSC) the authority to support the governments of the various states with hiring, deploying, and disciplinary actions. As a result, the state Public Service Commissions hire the majority of Group-A officials for state governments, recruits officers for the Group-B cadre and hold exams for positions in the military, engineering, medicine, and civil services.

Government recruitment exams are conducted in two parts - Central and State. The central body that recruits to positions in the Union Government, including the UTs, is UPSC. The State Public Service Commissions, on the other hand, are responsible for conducting the exams for each state separately. State Public Service Commissions are responsible for staffing a number of positions, including:

  • Administrative Services of the states
  • Police Services of the states
  • Forest Services of the states
  • Revenue Services of the states
  • Professor/Associate Professor/Assistant Professors in different state colleges and universities

Eligibility Criteria Required for State PSC

Candidates under the age of 21 are usually not accepted by the states. Most states' upper age limits fall between 28 and 35. Despite the fact that you won't need to be a resident of the state in which you're applying, if you seek to be selected, you'll need to be well-versed in its language, traditions, history, and knowledge of geography. However, preference is usually given to residents of the state for which they are giving the exam.

State PSC Exam Pattern

Many states follow the same syllabus and pattern used for the UPSC Civil Services Exam. Likewise, there are three stages to the State Public Services Commission Exams: the preliminary exam, the main exam, and the personal interview. This is not necessarily applicable for all states, though, as some smaller ones don't conduct the preliminary exam. The structure is as follows:

  1. Preliminary Exam: this consists of objective-type questions in MCQ format. The number of papers varies from state to state.
  2. Main Exam: this consists of multiple papers containing subjective and descriptive essay-type questions. The number of papers varies from state to state.
  3. Personal Interview: The last step after clearing the main exam is the in-person interview.

State PSC vs UPSC

As a candidate, you may be wondering whether there is a distinction between the UPSC exam and state PSC exams. Articles 315 to 323 of the Indian Constitution apply to both the UPSC and State PSC. However, they differ in terms of content and nature. The 3 major distinctions between PSC & UPSC are as follows:

  • State PSCs exist in every state separately whereas UPSC applies over the entire nation.
  • The members of the State PSC are appointed by the Governor of the particular State, whereas the members of the UPSC are appointed by the President of the nation.
  • The Union Services, which include all-Indian services, are the only ones for which UPSC directs examinations. Exams for designations pertaining to the states are directed by the state's PSC. For instance, the WBPSC (West Bengal Public Service Commission) will be conducting examinations for those services falling under the West Bengal region.

List of State PSC

Here is a list of all the Public Service Commissions is existence in the country:

  1. Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission
  2. Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission
  3. Assam Public Service Commission
  4. Bihar Public Service Commission
  5. Chhatisgarh Public Service Commission
  6. Goa Public Service Commission
  7. Gujarat Public Service Commission
  8. Haryana Public Service Commission
  9. Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission
  10. Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission
  11. Jharkhand Public Service Commission
  12. Karnataka Public Service Commission
  13. Kerala Public Service Commission
  14. Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission
  15. Manipur Public Service Commission
  16. Maharashtra Public Service Commission
  17. Meghalaya Public Service Commission
  18. Mizoram Public Service Commission
  19. Nagaland Public Service Commission
  20. Odisha Public Service Commission
  21. Punjab Public Service Commission
  22. Rajasthan Public Service Commission
  23. Sikkim Public Service Commission
  24. Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission
  25. Tripura Public Service Commission
  26. Telangana Public Service Commission
  27. Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission
  28. Uttarakhand Public Service Commission
  29. West Bengal Public Service Commission

Most Indians still opt for government jobs because of the higher possibilities and job stability they offer. A government job may not be simple to obtain, but once you do, the effort you put in will be well worth it. Commitment and enthusiasm are key elements that keep aspirants on the correct path. So, if the State PSC is what you were destined to do, start working hard to achieve your objective and you will be one step closer to realising your dreams.

Last updated on 19 Aug 2022
12:14 PM
ADVERTISEMENT
Read Next