The much-coveted Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has been in the limelight for the past two weeks after trainee IAS officer Ms. Pooja Khedkar hit the headlines for her irregular and illegitimate demands during probation.
While UPSC is the only examination-conducting body that enjoys impeccable public trust, the time has come to ask whether this trust is justified or merely an illusion, derived out of aggressive perception management.
UPSC operates with a high degree of opacity, from its examination pattern to its selection process. It takes a full year to disclose the Preliminary Test (PT) answer key and cutoff. Why can’t UPSC declare the names of candidates along with their PT marks, while declaring the PT results? It is doable and will infuse much needed transparency in the system.
I understand that revealing the marks of the mains exam could bias interviewers during the interview stage, but since PT is just a qualifying exam, it makes no sense to hide this information?
Regarding its Mains examination, UPSC never declares model answers, leaving aspirants guessing about what is expected from them and whether there is uniformity in the marking scheme. The mains cutoff is also released only after the final results. The third stage is the Interview, which is highly subjective, with marks ranging from 100 to 200. This 100-mark difference can determine the outcome for a candidate, yet UPSC never discloses the marking criteria for interviewees.
Opacity in each stage of examination leads to uncertainty amongst the aspirants, and it forces aspirants to rely on coaching institutions. As a result, the coaching business now operates as an oligopoly with fees that are inaccessible to a large section of the Indian population. This creates an uneven playing field for most students and aspirants from the very start.
It may be argued that the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) criterion is meant to address this disparity, but the EWS criterion itself has several inconsistencies and needs reform. The ₹8 lakh limit should be redefined to reflect the changing economic situation of the country.
In recent developments, UPSC issued a show-cause notice (SCN) to Ms. Pooja Khedkar on July 19, 2024, agreeing with one of the many claims that she, by faking and forging names, availed extra attempts beyond her permissible limit. UPSC has sought to cancel her candidature as per exam rules. The question remains, Did Pooja create fake ID cards to appear in the exam? Did she change her name and her parents’ names in her 10th, 12th, and graduation degrees as well?
The silence from UPSC on these matters is a cause for concern.
UPSC claims it exercises the highest order of due diligence. Shouldn’t aspirants issue a show-cause notice to UPSC asking:
1. What caused this lapse in the case of Ms. Pooja Khedkar IAS?
2. What actions will UPSC undertake to ensure such lapses are not repeated?
3. When will UPSC issue a statement regarding the numerous allegations against selected bureaucrats on social media, many of which appear consistent with the allegations?
4. Does UPSC have a foolproof background verification mechanism? If so, what is it?
5. How does UPSC verify caste and income certificates?
6. What is the criterion for availing a PwBD quota? Have there been officers in the past who did not appear before the AIIMS medical board and instead submitted a PwBD certificate from local hospitals?
The problem with UPSC is its silence and exceptional perception management tactics. UPSC must address every allegation floating on social media, create mechanisms to prevent the misuse of caste, income, and disability quotas, and clarify why it chooses to be so opaque in its workings. Can its procedures actually be trusted?
In its press note dated July 19, 2024, UPSC states that it has earned high trust and credibility from the public, especially the candidates. However, it must be admitted that this trust and credibility have been severely hit in the past few weeks, and only aggressive transparency can restore the lost trust and credibility.
The writer is a UPSC aspirant, has appeared for an interview in his first attempt.
