What is the difference between the UPSC Civil Services Examination and the State Civil Services Examination (PCS)?

The UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) is a nationwide competitive exam conducted by India’s Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). It recruits candidates for prestigious all-India services like IAS, IPS, and IFS, serving the central government. In contrast, the State Civil Services Examination, commonly known as PCS (Provincial Civil Services), is conducted by individual state public service commissions. PCS exams recruit candidates for administrative positions within a state’s government, such as SDM or DSP. While both exams assess similar qualities, the key difference lies in their jurisdiction: UPSC CSE is for central government services, while PCS is for state government services.