Historical Background
- The structure of the civil services exam is rooted in the Macaulay Report of 1854 which emphasized merit-based selection.
- The Kothari Committee (1975) formalized the three-tier structure: Prelims, Mains, and Interview.
Relevance : GS 2(Education )
Evolution of Preliminary Exam
- Earlier format: Optional subject + General Studies with a 2:1 weightage.
- Results were opaque; only names of qualifiers were published—no marks or cut-offs were revealed.
- This ‘black box’ model limited aspirants’ ability to question results.
Transparency and Reform Pressure
- Post-RTI Act (2005): UPSC had to disclose evaluation methods.
- Growing scrutiny led to formation of the S.K. Khanna Committee (2010).
- Major reform (2011): Optional paper removed. Prelims restructured to:
- Paper I: GS
- Paper II: CSAT (aptitude, reasoning, English)
Issues with CSAT (Paper-II)
- Originally, CSAT marks were counted, favoring urban, English-medium, science/engineering students.
- This triggered protests, particularly from rural/Humanities background aspirants.
- Change made: CSAT became a qualifying paper (33% minimum), marks not counted for merit.
Main Exam Concerns
- Restructured in 2013 after Nigvekar Committee recommendations.
- GS papers now cover wide topics: polity, governance, economy, etc.
- Current issues:
- Short-answer focus (20 questions) encourages rote memorization over analysis.
- No long-form questions that test deep analytical or problem-solving abilities.
- Optional subject choices driven by scoring trends, not academic background—misaligns intent.
Prelims as a ‘Gatekeeper’
- Prelims now functions more as a screening tool, cutting ~5 lakh applicants to ~10,000.
- Paper-I (GS) is highly unpredictable, making preparation uncertain.
- Paper-II still favors science/engineering students, even though it’s qualifying.
- Opportunity cost is high for serious aspirants investing years into uncertain outcomes.
Suggested Reforms
- Re-evaluate the role of Prelims: Ensure it tests potential, not just elimination.
- Revamp GS Mains papers: Include long-form analytical questions.
- Replace the optional subject with two papers on governance and public policy to ensure relevance.
- Improve alignment between the exam structure and the qualities expected in civil servants.
Conclusion
- The current system, though evolved, still reflects structural distortions.
- A comprehensive reform is needed to:
- Reduce unfair filtering,
- Promote diversity,
- Encourage analytical thinking over rote learning,
- And better align aspirants’ capabilities with administrative roles.
