What is Lee Commission and when was it formed | Indian History | Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)

What is Lee Commission and when was it formed | Indian History | Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)

What is Lee Commission and when was it formed? Complete information about Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)

The 'Lee Commission' was created in British India. The full name of 'Lee' was 'Lord Wiskout Lee'. This commission was formed for the improvement of public services. The term 'public servant' was first used by the East India Company in 1765. The role and importance of Public Servants was understood in governing the East India Company. In view of its importance, the 'Indian Civil Service' was brought into existence in 1769. In 1864, for the first time, an Indian Satyendra Nath Thakur (who was the elder brother of Rabindra Nath Tagore) became an ICS officer. In view of the function and authority of this post, the Congress in its first session in 1885 itself demanded that 'public service' should be Indianised. The then Viceroy Lord Dufferin had constituted the 'Aitchison Commission' under the chairmanship of Sir Charles Aitchison to consider the demand of the Indians. This 'Aitchison Commission' was constituted in 1886 and the report of this commission came in 1887.

This commission worked to bring many more services. Like- I.C.S., I.F.S., IPS etc. These services were in existence even before 1887. But the nature of that time was more inclined towards British rule. Congress had demanded to Indianize the same spoiled form. It continued to be improved in subsequent Acts and by commissions. In this sequence, 'Insligton Royal Commission' was also formed in 1912 to further Indianize the civil service. The report of this commission was also presented with some reforms in 1915 and in 1917 this report was also published. Lord Cornwallis (1786-1793) was the one who brought the civil service into existence. That is why Lord Cornwallis is also called the father of civil services. Since the same period, the nature, functions and powers of the public services were further improved through several Acts and Commissions. In this context, the 'Lee Commission' was also formed.

Lee commission

Lee Commission - This Lee Commission was formed in 1923 under the chairmanship of Lord Viscount Lee. Hence this commission came to be known as 'Lee Commission'. It was a royal commission. Its report was submitted in 1924. The recommendations presented by the 'Lee Commission' in 1924 can be seen in the following form:-

(I) The Indian Civil Service, the Indian Police, the Indian Medical Service, the Indian Engineering Service, (this included the Irrigation Service), the Indian Forest Service (except the province of Mumbai) should be retained. (These services were also in the Aitchison Commission. That is why it was recommended to retain them.) The work of appointing and controlling the members of these services should be done by the Secretary of State for India.

(II) any further appointment or recruitment to other services of an All India level, such as the Indian Agricultural Service, the Indian Veterinary Service, the Indian Education Service, the Indian Engineering Service (Roads and Building Branch) and the Indian Forest Service (in Mumbai Province only) should not be done. In future, the work of appointing and controlling the members of these services should be done by the provincial governments.

(III) For Indianisation of services, 20% of the higher posts should be filled on the basis of promotion from the Provincial Civil Services. At the time of direct recruitment, the proportion of British and Indians should be equal. So that 50-50 ratio can be achieved in about 15 years.

(IV) Such British officers who are not willing to serve under Indian ministers should be allowed to retire on the basis of proportionate pension.

(v) The 'Public Service Commission' should be constituted in accordance with the provisions of the Government of India Act, 1919.

 

Accepting the above five recommendations of the 'Lee Commission', the British Government, implementing them, established the 'Central Public Service Commission' in 1926 and entrusted the commission with the task of recruiting public servants. There was a provision for a chairman and four other members in this commission and its first chairman was 'Sir Ross Barker', a senior member of the British Home Public Service. When the 1935 Act came into force in 1937, this commission was replaced by the 'Union Public Service Commission'. When the Constitution of independent India came into force on 26 January 1950, the name of the 'Union Public Service Commission' was changed to 'Union Public Service Commission'. Which are still being recruited with the same name. It is called 'Union Public Service Commission' in Hindi and Union Public Service Commission in English. It is called UPSC in short.

 A provision was also made in the Government of India Act, 1935 to protect the rights and privileges of the members of the civil service. In this Act, there was a provision for the establishment of the Federal Public Service Commission and the Provincial Public Service Commission as well as the establishment of Joint Public Service Commission for two or more provinces.

The Indian high-class civil service, the form of the Federal Public Service Commission, we can see. It was established on October 1, 1926 only on the recommendation of 'Lee Commission'. But the present form stands on the basis of January 26, 1950. Which is known as 'Union Public Service Commission'. That is, the present Union Public Service Commission is a product of 'Lee Commission'. But the father of 'public service' is considered to be Lord Cornwallis.

With the coming into force of the new constitution on 26 January 1950, the Union Public Service Commission has been given constitutional status as an autonomous body. Articles 315 to 323 in Part-14 of the Constitution of India describe the constitution, functions and powers of the Commission.