Which Article of the Indian Constitution relates to the expenditure of Public Service Commissions?

Question

UnlockIAS · Accepted Answer

Correct — C, Article 322. Article 322 provides that the expenses of the Union Public Service Commission or a State Public Service Commission — including the salaries, allowances and pensions of its members and staff — shall be charged on the Consolidated Fund of India, or the Consolidated Fund of the State, as the case may be. This removes PSC funding from the normal annual vote of the legislature, safeguarding the Commission's independence.

Why the other options are wrong — (a) Article 320 lays down the functions of the Public Service Commissions (conducting examinations, advising government on recruitment and disciplinary matters) — not their expenditure.  (b) Article 321 empowers Parliament (for the UPSC) or a State Legislature (for a State PSC) to extend the Commission's functions to any local authority or other body — a different provision from the expenditure clause.  (d) Article 323 requires the Commission to present an annual report on its work to the President (UPSC) or the Governor (State PSC) — a reporting duty, not the expenditure clause.

Concept: Articles 315–323, in Part XIV of the Constitution, form a compact chapter on Public Service Commissions (the UPSC and State PSCs). Article 322 is the financial-independence clause: by charging PSC expenditure directly on the Consolidated Fund, it makes that expenditure non-votable — the legislature can discuss it but cannot refuse or cut it through the ordinary appropriation process.

State PCS 2023 Q21 — Indian Polity PYQ with Answer

State PCS 2023 Q21 — Indian Polity PYQ with Answer