IN A DILEMMA - UPSC entangled in `gender equality'
Manash Gohain
|
New Delhi
|
Framing Of 125-Mark Essay In Hindi And English Leaves Aspirants Confused
Can the word `engendered' be taken to mean `gender equality'? This semantic dilemma has put aspirants who appeared for the 2016 civil services main examination recently in a ferment. The test paper put out by the Union Public Service Commission had an essay on the subject carrying a crucial 125 marks, but the framing of the proposition in the two languages created confusion for the candidates. In Hindi, the version read: “Stri-pu rush kay samaan sarokaroko shamil kiye bina vikas sankatgrast hain“ (devoid of gender inclusiveness, development is endangered). The wory is that English language aspirants did not interpret the term `engendered' in the English equivalent -“If development is not engendered, it is endangered“ -as related to gender equality .“The literal meaning of the English question was completely different from its Hindi translation,“ argued candidate Palash Bansal.“The essay carries 125 marks and it can make a huge diffe rence to the overall performance. I just hope UPSC will take both the interpretations into consideration while evaluating the paper and both the meanings are considered to be correct.“ Another candidate, Aravind Varier, said, “UPSC is silent about whether the meaning is related to gender inequality in the English version. While writing the essay , I preferred to take the meaning of `engender' in a wider context rather than narrow it to gender inequality . Yes, the term does appear in a report published by the World Bank, but it uses `engendered' only to make it rhythmically in consonance with the issue of gender inequality discussed in that report.“
Anxious candidates have written to the PM and to Jitendra Singh, minister of state in the PMO, as well as to UPSC chairman Alka Sirohi and the joint secretary (examination) of the examining authority . The candidates have told them this matter “is of high gravity“ to them and could prove “a decisive factor in their lifetime opportunity as a civil servant“. Saying that since it carried 125 marks it could not be sidelined during evaluation, the examinees requested UPSC to “consider the future of aspirants as the foremost basis in giving rational and judicious marking criteria with all consideration of such misrepresentation of the statement being asked“.
UPSC officials could not be contacted for a response.The civil services main examination was held from December 3 to 9, with the first day's paper carrying the essay question.
Anxious candidates have written to the PM and to Jitendra Singh, minister of state in the PMO, as well as to UPSC chairman Alka Sirohi and the joint secretary (examination) of the examining authority . The candidates have told them this matter “is of high gravity“ to them and could prove “a decisive factor in their lifetime opportunity as a civil servant“. Saying that since it carried 125 marks it could not be sidelined during evaluation, the examinees requested UPSC to “consider the future of aspirants as the foremost basis in giving rational and judicious marking criteria with all consideration of such misrepresentation of the statement being asked“.
UPSC officials could not be contacted for a response.The civil services main examination was held from December 3 to 9, with the first day's paper carrying the essay question.
Source: Times of India, 14-12-2016
