UPSC full form—Union Public Service Commission—its history, functions, and role in recruiting for IAS, IPS, IFS, and other central services. Learn about exam stages, eligibility, and how UPSC governs India’s civil services selection process for aspirants.

Lakhs of aspirants aim to clear the IAS Examination so that they get their dream Indian Administrative Service. Largely, the candidates know about the examination but in this article, we will discuss the sole authority responsible to conduct this exam — UPSC. Full Form of UPSC is Union Public Service Commission.
UPSC full form is Union Public Service Commission, and it is a Constitutional Body under Article 315-323 Part XIV Chapter II of the Constitution of India to discharge its duties, functions, and obligations assigned under Article 320. The UPSC full form includes its functions and it conducts various examinations in accordance with the Rules of examination as notified by the Government of India in a just, fair, and impartial manner for making a merit-based selection and recommendation of candidates for various Group A and Group B Services of the Government of India.
The full form of the UPSC is Union Public Service Commission.
UPSC conducts a National Level Exam for 24 services under the Central & State Government of India.
The UPSC is mandated by the Indian Constitution to make appointments to the All India Services and Central Services Group A and B, as well as to develop and update testing methodologies for these recruitments with input from various departments.
Apart from this, UPSC is also consulted on matters related to promotion and transfer of personnel as well as any disciplinary matters involving a civil servant serving in a civil capacity.
The headquarters of the commission is located in New Delhi. The contact details of the UPSC are as follows:
| Postal Address: UNION PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION, Dholpur House, Shahjahan Road, New Delhi – 110069 |
| Facilitation Counter: 011-23098543/23385271/23381125/23098591 |
| Email: feedback-upsc@gov.in |
Also Read: UPSC Toppers List 2024
As a reputed organization, UPSC has an interesting history, let me take you back into the year of 1923, when under the chairmanship of Lord Lee of Fareham, the Royal Commission on superior civil services was set up in India.
Based on the recommendation of the report submitted by the Commission, a Public service Commission having equal number of Indian and British members was established in 1924.
The key suggestions made by the Lee Commission included 40% of the future entrants to be British, direct recruitment of 40% Indians and promotion from provincial services for 20% Indians.
The first Public Service Commission, under the chairmanship of Sir Ross Barker, was finally instituted in the year of 1926. But being a mere advisory role body, it faced pressure from leaders of the Indian Independence movement.
This resulted in the establishment of Federal Public Service Commission under Government of India Act 1935, which later became what we know as the Union Public Service Commission after getting constitutional status on 26 January 1950 post-independence.
Coming back to the present times, UPSC CSE is one of the popular exams in the country as lakhs of aspirants apply for it each year.
UPSC Full Form includes its functions. Under Article 320 of the Constitution of India, the Commission is, inter-alia, required to be consulted on all matters relating to recruitment to civil services and posts. The functions of the Commission under Article 320 of the Constitution are:
Also Read: How to Prepare for UPSC
Note: Contact specific helplines only if relevant information is not available online.
UPSC Full Form includes its composition. Here is the list of Chairperson and Members along with their designations:
| Position | Name | Term Start |
| Chairperson | Dr. Ajay Kumar, IAS | 15 May 2025 |
| Member | Lt. Gen. Raj Shukla (Retd.) | 18 July 2022 |
| Member | Ms. Suman Sharma | 25 May 2023 |
| Member | Shri Bidyut Bihari Swain | 1 June 2023 |
| Member | Dr. Dinesh Dasa | 29 September 2023 |
| Member | Shri Sheel Vardhan Singh | 15 January 2024 |
| Member | Shri Sanjay Verma | 1 February 2024 |
| Member | Sujata Chaturvedi, IAS | 1 May 2025 |
| Member | Anuradha Prasad, IDAS | 2 May 2025 |
Also Read: Indian Revenue Service
Here is a list of major exams conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC):
| UPSC Full Form Examination | Purpose / Recruitment | Eligibility | Age Limit (General) |
| Civil Services Examination (CSE) | Recruitment to IAS, IPS, IFS, and other central services | Graduation in any discipline | 21 – 32 years |
| Indian Forest Service Examination (IFS) | Recruitment to Indian Forest Service | Graduation in Forestry, Botany, or related fields | 21 – 32 years |
| Engineering Services Examination (ESE) | Recruitment of engineers in various government departments | Engineering degree | 21 – 30 years |
| Combined Defence Services Examination (CDSE) | Recruitment to Indian Military Academy, Naval Academy, Air Force Academy, and Officers’ Training Academy | Graduation in any discipline | 19 – 25 years |
| National Defence Academy Examination (NDA) | Recruitment to Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force | 12th Standard with Physics & Mathematics (for Navy and Air Force) | 16.5 – 19.5 years |
| Combined Medical Services Examination (CMS) | Recruitment of medical officers in government services | MBBS degree | Up to 32 years |
| Central Armed Police Forces (Assistant Commandants) Examination (CAPF AC) | Recruitment of Assistant Commandants in CRPF, BSF, ITBP, CISF, and SSB | Graduation in any discipline | 20 – 25 years |
| Indian Statistical Service Examination (ISS) | Recruitment of statisticians in government departments | Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Statistics | 21 – 30 years |
| Indian Economic Service Examination (IES) | Recruitment of economists in government departments | Postgraduate degree in Economics or related fields | 21 – 30 years |
| Combined Geo-Scientist Examination (CGSE) | Recruitment of Geo-Scientists in government departments | Master’s degree in Geology, Hydrology, or related disciplines | 21 – 32 years |
| CISF AC (EXE) LDCE | Recruitment of Assistant Commandants in CISF | Graduation in any discipline | 20 – 25 years |
Also Read: Indian Foreign Service
The UPSC conducts the Civil Services Examination (CSE) every year. As CSE recruits candidates also in IAS, it is often called as IAS Exam. To know the full form of IAS and learn how to become an IAS officer, check the linked article.
The UPSC CSE consists of three stages:
The UPSC then prepares the final merit list, cumulating the scores of the candidates in the mains examination and the personality test. The candidates are then allocated the services, based on their preferences, the merit list as well as the category of the candidate and the vacancies in each category.
UPSC Full Form important dates for the UPSC CSE 2025 exams are listed below:
| Event | Date (2026) |
| UPSC Exam Calendar Release | 15 May 2025 |
| UPSC Notification Release | 14 January 2026 |
| Application Submission Period | 14 January – 3 February 2026 |
| Prelims Exam Date | 24 May 2026 |
| Prelims Admit Card Release | To Be Announced |
| Prelims Result Declaration | To Be Announced |
| Mains Exam Dates | From 21 August 2026 |
| Mains Admit Card Release | To Be Announced |
| Final (Personality Test & Result) | To Be Announced |
Also Read: Youngest IAS Officers in India
The UPSC Full Form for UPSC Civil Services exam is divided into three stages. These are:
The UPSC examination consists of two main stages: Prelims and Mains. Here’s a breakdown of the number of papers in each stage:
The UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Exam consists of two papers:
| Paper | Total Marks | Duration | Subjects | Purpose / Nature |
| General Studies Paper I (GS-I) | 200 | 2 hours | Current Events, History of India, Geography, Indian Politics, Economics, Environment, General Science, etc. | Used for shortlisting candidates for the Mains exam |
| Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) – Paper II | 200 | 2 hours | Comprehension, Logical Reasoning, Analytical Ability, Decision-Making, General Mental Ability, etc. | Qualifying in nature; minimum 33% required to qualify for the Mains |
The UPSC Civil Services Mains Exam consists of 9 papers in total:
| Paper | Total Marks | Subjects / Details | Purpose / Nature |
| Paper A: Indian Language | 300 | Candidate can choose any language from the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution | Qualifying paper |
| Paper B: English | 300 | Compulsory English language paper | Qualifying paper |
| Paper I: Essay | 250 | Candidates write an essay on a given topic | Marks counted for ranking |
| Paper II: General Studies-I | 250 | Indian Heritage and Culture, History, Geography of the World and Society | Marks counted for ranking |
| Paper III: General Studies-II | 250 | Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice, International Relations | Marks counted for ranking |
| Paper IV: General Studies-III | 250 | Technology, Economic Development, Biodiversity, Environment, Security, Disaster Management | Marks counted for ranking |
| Paper V: General Studies-IV | 250 | Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude | Marks counted for ranking |
| Paper VI: Optional Subject Paper-I | 250 | Related to the optional subject chosen by the candidate | Marks counted for ranking |
| Paper VII: Optional Subject Paper-II | 250 | Related to the same optional subject as Paper VI | Marks counted for ranking |
Also Read: UPSC Toppers 2025
To apply for UPSC, candidates must meet the following criteria:
| Criteria as per UPSC Full Form | Details |
| Age Limit | 21 to 32 years |
| Age Relaxation | OBC – 3 years, SC/ST – 5 years, PwBD – 10 years |
| Number of Attempts | General – 6, OBC & PwBD – 9, SC/ST – Unlimited |
| Educational Qualification | Graduation |
| Nationality for UPSC Exam | Must be a citizen of India, a person of Indian origin or a subject of Nepal, Bhutan or Tibet settled in India before 1st January 1962. |
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The UPSC full form shows it is a Union Public Service Commission, highlighting its role in conducting exams like IAS, IPS, IFS, and other central services.
Knowing the UPSC full form helps aspirants understand that the Union Public Service Commission governs eligibility, selection, and recruitment for top government positions.
Understanding the UPSC full form clarifies that the Union Public Service Commission conducts exams, sets criteria, and manages the civil services selection process.
Yes, the UPSC full form—Union Public Service Commission—indicates its authority to organize competitive exams, interviews, and recruitment for central services.
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The UPSC Civil Services Exam has three parts:
This exam is tough, but with the right guidance, it becomes easy to manage. Students must study smart and stay regular.
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