After having introduced changes in the preliminary stage of Civil Services Exam in 2011, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has now notified changes in its Main Examination too. The main change in the prelims was the removal of the optional paper. This move was seen as an attempt by the UPSC to test candidates on common papers of General Studies and Aptitude. The changes introduced in the Mains are similar in nature.
From this year onwards, candidates will be required to choose only one optional for the written part of the Mains (previously there were two). The weightage for General Studies has also been increased to about 50 per cent from the previous 35 per cent. The UPSC has restricted the use of language optional to only those candidates who are graduates with that language as a major. Interestingly, the use of a language other than Hindi or English as a medium for answering the Main Examination has been restricted to only those candidates who have graduated with that language as a major.
The increase in the use of common papers for testing candidates is aimed at arresting disparities between different optionals in terms of scoring. Certain optionals are viewed as highly scoring as compared to others. With the new pattern, the UPSC has attempted to create a level-playing field to evaluate candidates. From a superficial look at the new syllabus, one might be tempted to conclude that there is a huge increase in the syllabus for General Studies. But a careful perusal of previous years’ question papers clearly shows that the UPSC has already been asking questions on the so-called ‘newly included topics’. The only difference is that these topics are now specifically mentioned in the syllabus. The only real addition to the syllabus is a paper on ‘Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude’. With the menace of corruption growing by the day, the UPSC has rightly felt the need to evaluate candidates in terms of integrity and ethics.
The UPSC has been, for quite some time now, been analysing the pattern of examination. The Alagh Committee (2001) and the Administrative Reforms Commission (2008) have recommended the removal of both optional papers and proposed a greater weightage to General Studies. Also, in today’s world, a thorough knowledge of happenings around the world would make an administrator well-equipped to handle diverse issues that he is going to face as part of his job. This is the prime reason for which the weightage of General Studies has been increased. Greater stress on English language by the UPSC is an attempt to make sure that the civil servants are capable of interacting with their counterparts in other countries as well as to ensure better communication between Indian civil servant representatives and the World on various issues.
The restriction on language-optionals can be viewed as an attempt by UPSC to counter the trend of candidates choosing language as an optional as they usually have very limited syllabus and the marks obtained have been found to be comparatively very high. In other words, UPSC’s current pattern change is to curtail short-cuts to success. With these changes, UPSC is sure to find candidates who are more knowledgeable and better skilled for a career in the civil services than before. As such, these changes should be viewed as ‘positive-indispensables’.
The changes made by UPSC are definitely in line with its objective of testing candidates in areas that are more relevant (than before) for a career in civil services. In fact, the new pattern is an opportunity for candidates to prepare themselves not only for success in the exam, but also for success in their career (as a civil servant).
(The writer is Civil Services Aptitude Test course director of the Triumphant Institute of Management Education)
Tips to crack UPSC exam
Follow syllabus religiously. Aim at grasping every topic in the syllabus. Next, look for extension for each of the topics.
For example, in ‘Issues relating to poverty and hunger’ topic, first acquire primary knowledge about it. This includes causes of poverty and hunger, extent of poverty and hunger, programmes for poverty/hunger eradication etc.
Try to look for extensions to this topic that may include controversy over the definition of poverty line, Food Security Bill and its implications, accepted definition of poverty, millennium development goals, inclusive growth, etc.