Expert panel mulls separate UPSC test for each service

Bharti Jain

New Delhi:





The expert committee set up by the government to review the scheme, syllabus and pattern of UPSC's civil services examination will examine if there is a case for prescribing different papers for selection to different participating services like IAS and IPS, and study the option of expediting selection process through IT solutions including an online examination.As per terms of reference of the panel headed by former IAS officer B S Baswan, it will suggest suitable changes to both the Civil Services (Prelims) exam and Civil Services (Mains) exam considering that different sets of skills are required for different services. The panel will also review the time-frame within which the examination is conducted and suggest changes to reduce the time taken for selection of candidates by utilizing information and communication technologies and revisiting procedures mandated by the examination rules.
“The purpose is to overhaul the entire examination scheme and suit the selection process to the skills required for each set of services,“ a senior officer of the department of personnel and training (DoPT) told TOI.
The panel will evaluate the effectiveness of the current examination scheme in selecting suitable candidates keeping in mind the need for inclusiveness in the selection process; fair mix of candidates from different disciplines; skill-sets required for a modern, effective and efficient civil service; and trainability of selected candidates, after reviewing recommendations of previous expert committees, and will submit its report in six months.
Source: Times of India, 29-09-2015