The full form of PCS is the Provincial Civil Service. PCS is generally a Civil Service at the Group A and Group B level of the Executive Branch of the Government of Uttar Pradesh. It is a state civil service which is a multi-layered exam for selecting its employees. It is managed by the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC). The PCS notification is announced as a combined Civil Service / Senior Subordinate Service Exam.
Academic Qualification for PCS
- PCS candidates must have a bachelor's degree from any recognized university or equivalent qualification.
- Minimum age of candidates is 21 years and maximum age is 40 years.
- Eligibility for PCS exam also requires physical measurement/fitness for certain positions as candidates have to undergo certain medical tests after the interview. The posts which require these physical measurement tests are - Assistant Conservator of Forest, Director of Forest, Dy. Superintendent of Police, Superintendent of Jails, District Commander of Home Guards, Inspector of Excise.
What is the Provincial Civil Service
PCS is often short for Provincial Civil Service. It is an Administrative Civil Service under the Group A Civil Service of the Executive Branch of the Government of Uttar Pradesh. It is also known as a feeder service for the Indian Administrative Service in a particular state.
Looking at the divisional level, PCS officers are often posted as Additional Divisional Commissioners of the state. Most divisions usually have two to three such posts, the most popular being the level of Additional Commissioner (Development), Additional Commissioner (Revenue) and Additional Commissioner (Executive).
The duty of a PCS officer is to collect land revenue and act as the very court of revenue and crime to prevent any crime taking place in the state, to maintain law and order, to implement the policies of the Union and the state government to enable strict compliance by the commoners to people.
The PCS officer will also have to handle and deal with the administration and day-to-day dealings of the government representing the court, including the formulation and implementation of policy in consultation with the particular minister-in-charge, the additional chief secretary/chief secretary, and the secretary of the relevant ministry of any state.
Positions offered after PCS / Provincial Civil Service
In 2017, UPPSC announced 251 vacancies when it released the exam notification. Later the number of 251 was increased to 677 seats later. For your convenience, you can check the jobs listed below.
Job Post
Deputy Collector, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Block Development Officer, Assistant Regional Transport Officer, Deputy Commissioner (Commercial Tax), District Commander Homeguards, Treasurer/Accounts Officer (Treasury), Inspector of Sugarcane and Deputy Commissioner of Sugar, Jail Superintendent, Credit Manager ( Small Industries), Marketing and Economic Survey Manager (Small Industries), Executive Officer Grade I / Assistant Nagar Ayukta, District Basic Education Officer / Associate DIOS and other equivalent administrative posts, Deputy Director Industries (Marketing), Assistant Commissioner work, DIET Assistant Professor, Designated Officer, Assistant Commissioner Industries, Statistic Officer, Assistant Account Officer (Treasury), Commercial Tax Officer, District Minority Welfare Officer, District Food Marketing Officer, Executive Officer (Panchayati Raj), Deputy Secretary (Housing and Urban planning), area Allotment Officer, District Backward Welfare Officer, Naib Tehsildar, Di strict Savings Officer, District Panchayat Raj Officer, Welfare Officer, Executive Officer (Nagar Vikas), Accounts Officer (Nagar Vikas), Supply Officer Grade 2, Additional Development Officer (Social Welfare), Passenger/Goods Tax Officer, Disability Welfare District Officer, Assistant Employment Officer, Accountant (Local Authorities), Regional Employment Officer, Assistant Registrar (Cooperative), Sub-Registrar, Assistant Public Prosecutor (Transport), District Probationary Officer, District Horticulture Officer Grade-2, District Horticulture Officer Grade-1 and Superintendent Govt. Garden, District Gardener, District Cane Officer, U.P. Agricultural Service Group - "B" (Development Branch), District Administrative Officer, District Auditor (Revenue Control), Assistant Controller of Legal Measurement (Grade 1), District Program Officer, District Youth Welfare and Pradeshik Vikas Dal Officer.
Difference between IAS and PCS officers
IAS and PCS officers are often confused and their duties seem to be the same but they are different. IAS officers are appointed by the President of India but work under the state government whose cadre is allotted to them according to prevailing conditions.
PCS officers are appointed directly by the state governor, so they are under the complete control of the state government. An IAS officer carries more weightage than a PCS officer in terms of pay, functions, powers and operations as an IAS officer is posted to look after all India operations while a PCS officer is posted within the respective state cadres to oversee only his own state.