General

Historical Background

Himachal Pradesh attained statehood on 25^th January, 1971. Prior to this date, the function of Public Service Commission in respect of the civil services and posts in connection with the affairs of the Union Territory of Himachal Pradesh were being discharged by the Union Public Service Commission under Article 315 of  the Constitution of India. It was, therefore, incumbent on the State to have its own Public Service Commission. However, since a State Public Service Commission could be constituted simultaneously with the attainment of Statehood, the Union Public Service Commission, on a request from the Governor of the State of Himachal Pradesh with the approval of the President of India, agreed to serve the needs of Himachal Pradesh till the establishment of a Public Service Commission for the State or for a period of three months from 25^th January, 1971 whichever was earlier. 

1. It shall be the duty of the Union and the State Public Service Commissions to conduct examinations for appointments to the  services of the Union and the service of the State respectively.
2. It shall also be the duty of  the Union Public Service Commission, if requested  by any two or more States so to do, to assist those States in framing and operating schemes of joint recruitment for any service for which candidates possessing special qualifications are required.
3. The Union  Public Service Commission or the  State Public Service Commission, as the case may be, shall be consulted           
   • on all matters relating to methods of recruitment to civil services and for   civil posts;
   • 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;
   • on all disciplinary matters affecting a person serving under the Government of India or the Government of a State in a civil capacity, including memorials or petitions relating to such matters; 
   • on any claim by or in respect of a person who is serving or has  served under the  Government of India or the Government of a  State or under the Crown in India or under the Government of an Indian State, 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  India, or as the ease may be, out of  the Consolidated Fund of the State; 
   • on any claim for the award of a pension in respect of injuries sustained by a person while serving under the Government of India or the Government of a State or under the Crown in India or under the Government of an Indian State, in a civil capacity, and any question as  to the amount of any such award,  and it shall be  the duty  of a Public Service Commission to advise on any matter so referred to them and on any other matter which the President, or, as the case may be, the Governor of the State,  may refer to them; 

Provided that the President as respects the all-India Services and also as respects other services and posts in connection with the affairs of the Union, and the Governor, as respects other services and posts in connection with the affairs of the State, may make regulations specifying the matters in which either generally, or in any particular class of a case or in any particular circumstances, it shall not be necessary for a Public Service Commission to be consulted.   

4.      Nothing in clause (3) shall require a Public service commission to be consulted as respects the manner in which any provision  referred to in clause  (4) of article 16 may be made or as respects the manner in which effect  may be  given to the provisions of article 335.   

5.      All regulations made under the proviso to clause (3) by the President or the Governor of a State shall be laid for not less than fourteen days before each House of Parliament or the House or each House of the Legislature of the State, as the case may be, as soon as possible after they are made, and shall be subject to such modifications, whether by way of repeal or amendment, as both Houses of  Parliament or the House or the both Houses of the Legislature of the State may make during the session in which they are so laid. 

 Recruitment Methods

Different methods of recruitment followed by the Commission for selecting candidates for different category of posts are as under:

Recruitment through examination followed by viva-voce: Through this method of recruitment the candidates are first to appear in the examination and thereafter, the qualified candidates are called for Viva-Voce. Merit list is prepared on the basis of written examination plus viva-voce and thereafter the candidates are selected on the basis of merit. The services for which such examinations are conducted are as under:

• Himachal Pradesh Administrative Services etc. Examination (HPAS)
• Himachal Pradesh Judicial Services (HPJS)
• H.P. Subordinate Allied Services
• State Forest Services (HFS)
• Naib Tehsildar
  
• Forest Rangers

Recruitment through examination without viva-voce: Through this method of recruitment, the Departmental candidates (in-service candidates) are put into examination for such posts as are received by the Commission from different Departments of State Government. The Examinations as being conducted by the Commission for various Category of Posts are as under: State Accounts Services (O.B.) – S.A.S.-OB

• State Accounts Services (L.A.D.) – S.A.S.-L.A.D.
• The candidates are selected on the basis of merit of written examination

• Medical Officer (General Wing)
• Medical Officer (Dental) 
• College Cadre Lecturers
• Asstt. Engineers (Civil/ Electrical/ Mechanical) of different departments/ Board
• Asstt. District Attorney (A.D.A.)
• District Public Relation Officer/Asstt. Public Relation Officer (D.P.R.O./A.P.R.O.)
• Any other post(s)

Recruitment through interview without conducting screening test:  Where the number of candidates are less in comparison to the number of posts available, the candidates are directly called for interview and selected on merit basis this method in adopted for selecting candidates for the following categories of posts: 

• Asstt. Professors of different faculties in Medical / Dental Colleges
• Director Sainik welfare
• Deputy Director Sainik Welfare
• Commandant Home Guard
• Any other post(s)