Kerala Public Service Commission (KPSC)

There was a Public Service Commissioner in the erstwhile Travancore state whose duty was to select candidates for direct recruitment to various categories of posts under the Government. G.D. Nokes was appointed as the first Public Service Commissioner on 14th June, 1936. The Office of the Public Service Commissioner, Travancore continued to function till the integration of Travancore and Cochin States.

In Cochin there was a Staff Selection Board constituted in 1936 to select candidates for initial recruitment to lower posts. In 1947 a three member Cochin Public Service Commission was constituted under an Act of the State Legislature.

The Travancore-Cochin State was formed on 1st July, 1949 by the integration of the two Princely States of Travancore and Cochin.With the integration of the States of Travancore and Cochin on 1st July, 1949 a Public Service Commission for the State of Travancore-Cochin was constituted by an Ordinance. There were three members on the Commission including the Chairman. The functions of the Travancore-Cochin Public Service Commission were generally the same as those laid down in the Government of India Act, 1935. Later, when the Constitution of India came into force on the 26th January, 1950, the Travancore-Cochin Public Service Commission continued to function under the Constitutional Provisions.

The State of Kerala was formed on 1st November 1956 consequent on the Reorganisation of States. It comprises the former Travancore-Cochin State (except the present Kanyakumari District and Shencottah Taluk of the present Tamil Nadu) and the Malabar District and the Kasargod Taluk of South Kanara District of the then composite Madras State.

With the formation of the State of Kerala on 1st November 1956 as a result of the reorganisation of States, the Travancore-Cochin Public Service Commission was transformed into the Kerala Public Service Commission. The number of the Members of the Commission was increased to Five in 1959, to Seven in 1971, to Eight in 1981, to Nine in 1982, to Thirteen in 1983, to Fourteen in 1984 , to Fifteen in 1984 and to the present strength of Eighteen in 2005.

Important Links:

(Job) Kerala Public Service Commission : Inspector of Factories and Boilers Grade II Recuitment 2021

• Kerala PSC Papers

• Kerala PSC Syllabus

Functions:

The duties and functions of the Commission have been laid down in Art. 320 of the constitution and they are:
1. To conduct examinations for appointments to the services of the state;

2.To advise:
a. on all matters relating to the methods of recruitment to civil services and for civil posts;
b. on the principles to be followed in making appointments to civil services and posts and in making promotions and transfers from one service to another and on the suitability of candidates for such appointments, promotions or transfers;
c. on all disciplinary matters affecting a person serving under the Government in civil capacity, including memorials or petitions relating to such matters;
d. on any claim by or in respect of a person who is serving or has served under the Government in a civil capacity that any cost incurred by him in defending legal proceedings instituted against him in respect of acts done or purporting to be done in the execution of his duty should be paid out of the Consolidated Fund of the State;
e. on any claim for the award of pension in respect of injuries sustained by a person while serving under the Government in a civil capacity, and any question as to the amount of any such award, and it shall be the duty of the commission to advise on any matter so referred to them and on any other matter which the Governor of the State may refer to them; provided that the Governor of the state is empowered to make Regulations specifying the matter in which either generally, or in any particular class of case or in any particular circumstances, it shall not be necessary for the Public Service Commission to be consulted.

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