No changes in UPSC exams, for now; Govt to wait for Nigavekar committee report

THE government has clarified that the civil services (mains) exam will remain as it is, at least for now. There were speculations, and even rumours that very pattern of the civil services examinations would undergo drastic changes. But V Narayanasamy, minister of state in the ministry of personnel, public grievances and PMO said in a written reply in Lok Sabha on Wednesday that currently there is no proposal to introduce changes in the main examination of the civil services examination. Yet,
Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has appointed a committee of experts, headed by former UGC chairman Prof Arun S Nigavekar to review the existing structure of civil services (main) examination and suggest necessary changes.

It was also clarified that the number of attempts for candidates appearing in civil services examination conducted by UPSC would remain as it stands today.

Speaker Meira Kumar seeks help from IAS probationers

Lok Sabha speaker Ms Meira Kumar sought the help of the 2011 batch of IAS probationers for “strict implementation” of the Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS), which she says “is very dear to parliamentarians”. Probationers including two from Royal Bhutan Civil Service called on Lok Sabha speaker in Parliament library building on Wednesday.

It has been noticed recently that 700 MPLADS works were executed by the district authorities in eight states without the recommendation of MPs. Also, such a sanctioned work should be completed within 45 days of the recommendation, but in many cases, it takes up to one year. Ms Kumar appealed the probationers to strictly implement the scheme.

Odisha IAS officers rally behind Mrinalini Darswal

Odisha IAS officers have urged chief minister Naveen Patnaik to take stern action against those who abused 2002 batch IAS officer and Sambalpur collector Mrinalini Darswal. The attackers were mostly lawyers who first had verbal arguments with Ms Darswal over hike in land registration fee. It was alleged that Ms Darswal was confined in a bus for quite sometime and was even threatened to be taken away to an unknown place. Her official residence was also attacked. The lawyers organized a bandh in Sambalpur town demanding immediate removal of Ms Darswal.

Odisha IAS Officers’ Association has now demanded exemplary punishment for those who were behind Ms Darswal’s attack so that officers could work with dignity.

Ms Darswal, hailing from Jammu and Kashmir, is an MBBS by profession. She had earlier worked as district magistrate and collector in districts like Koraput, Nuapada, Dhenkanal and Nayagarh.