Government job candidates submitted comprehensive reform proposals to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) last weekend. A five-member delegation, representing 179 candidates, presented demands for fair and transparent large-scale recruitment tests.
The proposals call for increased fairness and transparency in government hiring. Key demands include establishing an independent ‘Student Commission of India’ and strict monitoring to prevent the use of invalid certificates. Both UPSC Civil Services Exams (CSE) and Staff Selection Commission (SSC) exams attract millions of applicants nationwide.
Abhishek Singh, who led the delegation, confirmed both the UPSC chairman and the DoPT standing committee head accepted the recommendations. Officials assured the group they would review the presented issues.
Context of Demands
The push for reforms follows significant disruptions to SSC examinations in July and August. Exams experienced cancellations, postponements, and widespread technical problems. Thousands of students protested in Delhi at Ramlila Maidan and Jantar Mantar due to these issues.
Key Recommendations
Candidates outlined several critical areas for improvement:
- Investigation of exam irregularities.
- Robust monitoring of examination centers.
- Timely resolution of genuine grievances.
- Question paper quality control and moderation.
- Mechanism for scrutinizing suspect certificates submitted post-selection.
SSC Exam Reforms
SSC exam candidates, including those for SSC CGL and SSC CHSL , demand the commission appoint a new examination vendor. They attribute the poor examination experience during the summer to the current vendor’s performance.
UPSC Civil Services Reforms
UPSC candidates seek the removal of the ‘optional subject’ from the Civil Services Examination . They argue this subject leads to subjective marking. Abhishek Singh stated that subjects like engineering often receive higher marks than humanities, leading to skewed results.
Candidates refer to the 2016 Baswan Committee, which focused on exam eligibility, syllabus, and pattern. The committee previously suggested removing optional subjects to ensure uniform marking for all candidates.