Indian Civil Service Exams Root for Values

Aptitude, ethics, and moral values to carry credit for the first time as a separate examination question paper in the Indian Civil Services Examination. The examination is conducted for the selection of bureaucrats for prestigious services such as the Indian Administrative Services (IAS), Indian Foreign Services, revenue officers, and other central jobs.

At the time of many reports on scams and corruption at bureaucratic levels, this step comes as a radical reform toward laying a good foundation for better officers. The process of lodging a first-investigation-report (FIR) or to address the receipt of bribery in a legal way against a civil servant being very long and cumbersome this decision tries to address it at its root.

The country’s Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) appointed a committee of experts, headed by a veteran educationist, Dr. Arun S. Nigavekar, to bring desired changes and review the existing structure of Civil Services (Main) examination.

The Examination consists of three stages—preliminary, main and personality test (interview). The changes are made to the pattern of the mains examination only.

“The philosophy behind the review was to revamp the pattern of the civil services. Civil services are the backbone for the delivery of the entire government programs in India,” said Nigavekar. “The officers are the bridge between the government and the society. For a nation as ours their role is pivotal.”

Earlier candidates were shortlisted on the basis of their score in the main examination which gave over 50 percent credit to the optional subjects. Thus students opting for mathematics, science related subjects could score better over humanities. The new pattern focus on testing candidates in their administrative and managerial skill set to meet the demands of the changing socio-economic system in the country.

According to Nigavekar, civil servants chosen through the exams are great change makers. “Aspirants should open their thought process and enlarge their boundaries of knowledge. It’s just the mind-set; they should have vibrant, open, and flexible minds. Their role demands such a knowledge base,” he said.

On Tuesday, the UPSC issued its notification on the changes, and also for the 2013 Examination. As per the notification, the preliminary exam this year will be held on May 26. Candidates will be able to file their online application till April 4.

Aspirants however feel that the notification has come very late and there’s barely anytime for preparation.

Rahul Hazarika, an IAS aspirant based in Bangalore said, “It’s difficult to cope up with sudden changes. The notification for the current year has come really late. It is unfortunate that it came late as I spent money and time preparing according to the old pattern. Anyway I am going to give my 100 percent.”

However, Hazarika feels that the changes will facilitate to bring out the best in the candidates. “These changes help break out from the confines of limited subject or static knowledge.” 

Institutes preparing the aspirants for the exams were aware that changes would happen, as the report by the expert committee to UPSC was submitted on August 30, 2012. The UPSC forwarded it to the central government at New Delhi on October 31, 2012, but it was difficult to guess what changes would be introduced in 2013 exams.

The Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh, approved the report a week ago.

Jojo Mathews, an executive director at the Alternative Learning System, New Delhi said, “The changes were due from quite some time. The students have accepted it optimistically. The reforms were necessary in the larger good of the nation.”