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(News) Reforms in UPSC exam still not final
Reforms in UPSC exam still not final
Next year would be Nilesh's first shot at the Civil Services Examination but
he doesn't know where to start. The government has decided to replace the Civil
Services (Preliminary) Examination with the Civil Services Aptitude Test from
2011 but hasn't been able to finalise the details of the new examination paper
so far. "There is less than a year to go for the examination… It is not fair…
when are we going to prepare for the examination," said the 22-year-old Delhi
University graduate. The decision to give the examination a few face lifts was
cleared at the instance of the Union Public Service Commission by Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh this February.
The PM's approval to UPSC's proposal comes nearly a decade after the YK Alagh
panel on examination reforms submitted its report. Over the next few years, UPSC
first expressed reservations but later accepted the broad point. The preliminary
examination consists of two papers: the first is on general studies and is
common to all; candidates can then choose the second paper from a list of 23
subjects.
UPSC wanted to replace the second paper with an aptitude test to grade the
cognitive skills of the aspirants rather their ability to memorise. "There is no
cause for anxiety since all candidates will be placed at the same level of
advantage or disadvantage," said a UPSC official. Nearly 3.8 lakh aspirants
apply for the preliminary test each year, but only half of them appear for it.
The official said a committee headed by former UGC vice chairman SK Khanna —
tasked to recommend detail the specifics of the aptitude test —recently
submitted its report. "I would say the commission is up and running… It would be
able to finalise the syllabus soon," the official said. Sources said the Khanna
committee had pointed out that there were going to be limits to how far the
commission could test cognitive skills. "There are certain skills that do not
lend themselves to be evaluated in an objective-type format ....," the source
said.
Ethical and moral dimensions of decision-making, one of the primary ingredients
in the reform, would come under this category. In light of these limitations, it
is being suggested that UPSC continue with the optional paper and only tweak the
general studies paper to incorporate analytical reasoning or comprehension.
Courtesy: Hindustantimes.com
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