Crucial changes on the anvil in UPSC exams, says chairman; No of attempts could be reduced

THE Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has recommended major changes in civil services examinations including a reduction of number of attempts to appear for the examination. The Commission has recommended to the government that a Civil Services Aptitude Test should replace the existing Civil Services (Preliminary) examination, chairman of the Commission Prof D P Agrawal said in his address during UPSC Foundation Day lecture series on governance in New Delhi on Thursday. According to the new proposal, there will be two objective type papers common to all candidates. The emphasis will be on testing the aptitude of the candidate for the demanding life in the civil service as well as on the ethical and moral dimensions of decision-making, a government release said. Mr Agarwal further said that the proposed scheme would have the advantages of testing candidates' decision making skills and aptitude for civil services, and also providing a level playing field and equity, as all candidates will have to attempt common papers. Mr Agrawal also advocated for a reduction in the number of attempts allowed at the examination. Also, if recommendations made by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) get through, the performance of officers selected through civil services exam will be tracked, particularly during the initial years. The Chairman said that the Commission receives over a million applications for all the 14 regular examinations and other recruitment it conducts every year. He further said that the Commission was contemplating moving to examination through computers, once the initiative is approved by the government. The UPSC was setup 83 years ago. Railway minister and senior bureaucrats write to each rail employee In an unprecedented appeal by Union railways minister Mamata Banerjee along with both ministers of state for railways E Ahamed and K H. Muniyappa and the entire railway board and the chiefs of various unions of railway employees in a single written joint appeal to railwaymen have called upon them to strengthen the railway system through sincere efforts and hard wok. The joint appeal has called upon them to continue their hard work and dedication for realizing the motto ‘Service with Smile’. The letter of appeal has warned the employees saying that resorting to short-cut methods in discharge of duties is unacceptable. The officer signatories to the joint appeal include chairman, Railway Board, S S Khurna, financial commissioner Ms Sowmya Raghvan, member electrical Sudesh Kumar, member engineering Rakesh Chopra, member mechanical Praveen Kumar, member traffic Shriprakash, secretary, Railway Board, K B L Mittal etc.

Action & Appointments Gh Hasnain Massodi has been appointed as an Additional Judge of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court for a period of two years with effect from the date he assumes charge of his office.