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Question 41 of 60 · Constitutional & Statutory Bodies
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The first Chairman of the Public Service Commission in India, set up in 1926, was:

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Answer: Option D — Sir Ross Barker

Detailed Solution

Sir Ross Barker, a member of the British Home Civil Service, was the first Chairman of the Public Service Commission of India, which was set up on 1 October 1926.

Background:

  • The Government of India Act, 1919 (Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms) provided for the establishment of a Public Service Commission in India.
  • The Lee Commission on the Superior Civil Services in India (1923 to 1924) recommended that it be set up without delay.
  • As a result, the Public Service Commission was established in 1926.

Composition of the first Commission:

  • It had a Chairman and four members.
  • Sir Ross Barker was the Chairman.

Functions of the early Commission:

Its role was limited to recruiting officers for the central services and advising on disciplinary matters.

Later changes:

  • The Government of India Act, 1935 provided for a Federal Public Service Commission and Provincial Public Service Commissions.
  • The Public Service Commission became the Federal Public Service Commission in 1937.

H.K. Kripalani became the first Indian Chairman in 1947.

After the Constitution came into force, it became the Union Public Service Commission.

The UPSC today:

  • It is a constitutional body under Articles 315 to 323.
  • It conducts examinations such as the Civil Services Examination, the Engineering Services Examination and the Combined Defence Services Examination.
  • It advises the government on recruitment rules, promotions and disciplinary matters.
  • Its headquarters is at Dholpur House, New Delhi.

Members:

  • The Chairman and members are appointed by the President.
  • At least half of the members must have held office for at least ten years under the Government of India or a state government.

State Public Service Commissions:

  • They are appointed by the Governor and conduct recruitment for state services.
  • A Joint State Public Service Commission can be created by Parliament on the request of the states concerned.

Why not the other options?

  • ✗Sir Frederick Gauntlett was the first Auditor General in India.

H.K. Kripalani was the first Indian Chairman.

Sir Eyre Gordon was a later chairman.

Quick tip

Remember: Public Service Commission set up on 1 October 1926; first Chairman Sir Ross Barker; first Indian Chairman H.K. Kripalani.

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Constitutional & Statutory Bodies — Preparation

This question tests your understanding of Constitutional & Statutory Bodies, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.

This topic covers bodies set up under the Constitution, such as the Election Commission, UPSC, Finance Commission, Comptroller and Auditor General and the national commissions for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, and statutory or executive bodies such as NITI Aayog, the NHRC, the CVC, the CBI and Lokpal. Questions often ask whether a body is constitutional or not, which article creates it, who appoints its head and for how long. For example, the CAG is appointed under Article 148, the Finance Commission under Article 280, and NITI Aayog replaced the Planning Commission in 2015 by an executive resolution. Practise the constitutional and statutory bodies questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.

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