A couple of days before the controversial CSAT examination for all India service, the UPSC on Friday advised candidates not to attempt questions on English language comprehension skills asked in Paper II of the preliminary exam.
The CSAT Preliminary test is scheduled for Sunday which will be conducted at various centres across the country amidst tight security, especially the sensitive centres in the wake of protest and agitation by students demanding scrapping of the new format.The DoPT too issued instructions to the aspirants of civil services preliminary examination informing them that English language section would not be counted for merit.
"The Union Government has decided that for the civil services (preliminary) examination, 2014 to be held on August 24, this section on English language comprehension skills (Class X level) will not count for gradation or merit," DoPT said.
It further said that candidates must therefore note that they do not have to answer the questions on this section as these questions will not be evaluated. However, the duration of the Paper II would remain two hours and candidates can utilise the entire time in answering all questions except those in the section containing English language comprehension skills. Only the visually impaired candidates appearing will get 40 minutes extra time per paper.
The questions on English language comprehension skills (of Class X level) contained in each set of test booklets of Paper II are not to be attempted as these questions shall not be evaluated for gradation or merit.The inclusion of English comprehension skill has created much furore in and out the Parliament and civil services aspirants taking streets demanding scrapping of the CSAT model of entrance. The government then decided to keep off the controversial set of questions.
UPSC said that the final merit for qualifying candidates for the civil services (main) written examination will be drawn by using the aggregate marks obtained in Paper I out of 200 marks and marks obtained in Paper II out of 200 marks minus the maximum marks allocated to the question on English language comprehension skills.