Civil services aspirants of 2011 to get another shot in 2015

New Delhi: The civil services preliminary exam will now be held as scheduled on August 24, with changes announced by the Centre in Parliament, including non-inclusion of English marks in gradation of candidates. Some students had wanted the prelims put off.

UPSC civils services aspirants have been objecting to the level of aptitude and English language questions being asked in the examination claiming they are much above the standard prescribed for the examination.

Clarifying the Centre’s stand, minister of state for personnel Jitendra Singh told both Houses: “Gover-nment is of the opinion that in the Civil Services Preli-minary Exam, Paper-II, the marks of the section on ‘English Language comprehension skills’ should not be included for gradation or merit. Candidates who appeared in the Civil Services Examination 2011 may be given one more attempt in 2015.”

This, however, did not satisfy the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, which immediately attacked the Union government, forcing repeated adjournments of the House. Dr V. Maitreyan (AIADMK) alleged it was an attempt by the NDA government to impose Hindi on the South. He also asked if civil service aspirants would be able to write the exam in their native languages.

Mr Maitreyan was joined by the NCP, the Trinamul, the Congress, the CPI, the CPM, the DMK and the TRS MPs, who demanded that the government agree to a detailed discussion.

Trinamul’s Derek O’Brien sought a clarification, asking the minister if the question papers could now be answered in any Indian language.

As the Opposition MPs were not satisfied, the Chair had to adjourn the House for 10 minutes. Soon after the Rajya Sabha resumed, leader of opposition Ghu-lam Nabi Azad stated that the Centre had instead of solving the situation created a further mess.