Stung by row, UPSC allows regional language in Main exam
NEW DELHI: Succumbing to the pressure of those who were opposed to pro-English and pro-Hindi tilt of UPSC in civil services (Main) examination, the government on Thursday finally restored the status of other scheduled languages by bringing partial change in the March 5th notification allowing aspirants to take their test in any regional language.
Besides, aspirants can also opt for literature of any of the 22 eighth schedule languages and English as their optional subject even if they didn't study them during their undergraduate courses.
Under the fresh notification, the marks of English (100 marks as specified by March 5th notification) will also not be counted for making merit list of selected candidates for elite services like IAS, IFS, IPS and other central jobs.
The UPSC, however, increased the marks of essay paper from existing 200 to 250. The total marks in the Main exam will now be 1,750 - four papers of general studies (1,000), two papers of an optional subject (500) and essay (250).
Announcing the amendment to the Commission's March 5 notification, MoS for personnel, V Narayanasamy, said, "A candidate will be allowed to use any one regional language from the 8th Schedule of the Constitution of India or English as the medium of writing the examination as before. The conditionality of a minimum of 25 candidates in that medium and the requirement to have that language as the medium of examination at graduation level is proposed to be dropped".
As per the amendment, the English component (of 100 marks ) from the essay paper will also be dropped and the two qualifying papers of 300 marks each in any modern Indian language and in English — as in previous years — will be restored.
"The essay paper will now be of 250 marks to be written in the medium/language of candidate's choice," the minister said in Parliament.
He said the government had re-looked at some aspects (the language section) of the newly-notified pattern of the civil services (Main) exam in view of the concerns raised by the members in both Houses of Parliament.
Besides giving weight to the English language paper, the March 5th notification had carried the contentious provisions relating to regional languages, prohibiting candidates to opt for literature of any particular language as their optional subject if they didn't study it in their graduation course. Similarly, it also prohibited them to write their exam in a particular regional language if there are less than 25 candidates opting for that medium of instruction. In that case, they would have to write their exam in either English or Hindi, which was vehemently opposed by many aspirants in non-Hindi speaking states.
The March 5th notification had also drawn severe criticism from chief ministers with a number of them, including Shivraj Singh Chauhan (Madhya Pradesh), J Jayalalithaa (Tamil Nadu) and Narendra Modi (Gujarat), writing to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh demanding withdrawal of the order.
None of the CMs or political parties, however, had opposed the notification for its non-language-related changes where it gives substantial weight to general studies papers in the revamped system.
Besides, aspirants can also opt for literature of any of the 22 eighth schedule languages and English as their optional subject even if they didn't study them during their undergraduate courses.
Under the fresh notification, the marks of English (100 marks as specified by March 5th notification) will also not be counted for making merit list of selected candidates for elite services like IAS, IFS, IPS and other central jobs.
The UPSC, however, increased the marks of essay paper from existing 200 to 250. The total marks in the Main exam will now be 1,750 - four papers of general studies (1,000), two papers of an optional subject (500) and essay (250).
Announcing the amendment to the Commission's March 5 notification, MoS for personnel, V Narayanasamy, said, "A candidate will be allowed to use any one regional language from the 8th Schedule of the Constitution of India or English as the medium of writing the examination as before. The conditionality of a minimum of 25 candidates in that medium and the requirement to have that language as the medium of examination at graduation level is proposed to be dropped".
As per the amendment, the English component (of 100 marks ) from the essay paper will also be dropped and the two qualifying papers of 300 marks each in any modern Indian language and in English — as in previous years — will be restored.
"The essay paper will now be of 250 marks to be written in the medium/language of candidate's choice," the minister said in Parliament.
He said the government had re-looked at some aspects (the language section) of the newly-notified pattern of the civil services (Main) exam in view of the concerns raised by the members in both Houses of Parliament.
Besides giving weight to the English language paper, the March 5th notification had carried the contentious provisions relating to regional languages, prohibiting candidates to opt for literature of any particular language as their optional subject if they didn't study it in their graduation course. Similarly, it also prohibited them to write their exam in a particular regional language if there are less than 25 candidates opting for that medium of instruction. In that case, they would have to write their exam in either English or Hindi, which was vehemently opposed by many aspirants in non-Hindi speaking states.
The March 5th notification had also drawn severe criticism from chief ministers with a number of them, including Shivraj Singh Chauhan (Madhya Pradesh), J Jayalalithaa (Tamil Nadu) and Narendra Modi (Gujarat), writing to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh demanding withdrawal of the order.
None of the CMs or political parties, however, had opposed the notification for its non-language-related changes where it gives substantial weight to general studies papers in the revamped system.
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