After row, UPSC drops English essay paper from Civil Services Main Examination
The English essay paper of 100 marks in the 2013 Civil Services Main Examination, which raised a nation-wide controversy, has been dropped and the earlier practice of two qualifying papers in any Indian language and English restored, government said today.
"The English component (of 100 marks) from the Essay Paper will be dropped and the status quo ante of two qualifying papers of 300 marks each in any modern Indian language and in English – shall be restored," Minister of State for Personnel V Narayanasamy said in the Lok Sabha.
In a statement on the issue, he said the essay paper would now be of 250 marks to be written in the medium or language of the candidate's choice.
Bowing to all-round pressure in Parliament, government on March 15 had kept in abeyance the recent controversial notification of the UPSC, giving more weightage to English in these exams.
As before, the candidates would be allowed to use any one language from the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution or English as the medium of writing the examination, he said.
The controversial conditionality imposed by the Union Public Service Commission that language would be allowed as the medium of examination only if a minimum of 25 candidates wanted it has been dropped, Narayanasamy said.
Further, he said that a candidate would be allowed to take up literature as an optional subject "without the conditionality of having to do his/her graduation in that language's literature."
The Minister said these decisions were taken
Be the first to comment.
