The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has announced a major policy change: provisional answer keys for the Civil Services Preliminary Examination will now be released shortly after the exam concludes. This reform, fully supported by the Supreme Court of India, aims to significantly increase transparency in the rigorous evaluation process for India’s top administrative services.
Shift Towards Greater Transparency
Historically, the UPSC maintained a policy of publishing the Civil Services Examination (CSE) answer keys only after the entire year-long recruitment cycle was completed. This practice often drew criticism from candidates and advocacy groups, who argued it created an “opaque” system lacking immediate accountability and clarity.
The Supreme Court’s Bench, led by Justices P.S. Narasimha and Atul S. Chandurkar, formally welcomed the UPSC’s decision to adopt this new, more open approach. The Court heard several petitions that challenged the long-standing policy, citing its lack of reason. Key contributions from senior advocate Jaideep Gupta and advocate Pranjal Kishore were acknowledged for influencing this procedural reform.
During court proceedings, Mr. Gupta proposed that UPSC should release provisional CSE answer keys within a day of the examination. This suggestion was noted by the Court, which emphasized that such promptness would significantly enhance public trust in the integrity of the evaluation process.
New Process and Candidate Recourse
Under the updated policy, the provisional answer keys for the UPSC CSE Prelims will be made available to candidates soon after the examination date. This allows examinees to review the answers and understand their performance much earlier than before.
Following the release of these provisional keys, any objections or complaints from candidates will be thoroughly reviewed. A dedicated team of subject matter experts will meticulously examine these submissions. This expert review will lead to the finalization of the provisional answer key, which will then be used to calculate scores and declare the preliminary exam results.
The Supreme Court has also established a clear pathway for unresolved grievances. Candidates whose complaints remain after the UPSC’s expert review can approach the relevant High Courts. The High Courts are mandated to address these cases quickly, ensuring that disputes are resolved without undue delay to the recruitment timeline.
UPSC’s Evolving Stance on Openness
The decision to implement this policy change reflects an evolution in UPSC’s approach to examination transparency. Initially, the Commission had expressed reservations about releasing provisional answer keys immediately after the preliminary exam. In an affidavit submitted to the court on May 13, the UPSC argued that such a move could introduce “uncertainty and delay in finalising the exam.”
However, during the course of the judicial proceedings, the UPSC reconsidered its position. On September 20, the Commission filed a subsequent affidavit informing the Supreme Court of a “conscious and well-considered decision” to proceed with the release of provisional answer keys after the preliminary examination. This change in policy is set to be effective for the UPSC CSE Prelims 2025 and all future examinations, providing greater clarity and confidence to thousands of young adults aiming for a career in public service.
While the provisional keys will be released earlier, the definitive final UPSC CSE answer key will still be published only after the final results of the entire Civil Services Examination process are announced. This ensures all stages of review and finalization are complete before the ultimate validated answers are made public.