Expert Talk: Calls to Reduce Ethics Paper Weight, Keep CSAT at Class 10 Level, and Release Prelims Results Earlier

Experts and former bureaucrats have made several recommendations to revamp the UPSC Civil Services Examination to make it more candidate-centric as well as responsive to administrative realities. Former DGP Ashok Kumar, an UPSC expert, recommended reducing the weightage of the Ethics (GS Paper 4) paper in the Mains exam since high scores in this paper do not always indicate a candidate's true administrative potential.

Key Highlights:

The Ethics paper, though significant, now has substantial marks, and specialists recommend lightening its load in order to balance the overall assessment.

The CSAT (Prelims Paper 2) should be a screening paper but no more than Class 10 level of difficulty so that it checks basic aptitude and not advanced reasoning such as IIT entrance exams.

There is a general demand to declare Prelims results in advance so that the candidates have enough time to prepare for the Mains test.

Practical advice on Ethics questions focuses on real-life scenarios, government policies, and human-centric solutions to make the responses more effective.

Experts strongly hold the opinion that the UPSC exam should still test not just intellectual abilities but also emotional quotient, leadership, and decision-making skills required for civil services.

Prospect: These suggested reforms seek to balance, equilibrate, and render the UPSC selection process more responsive to the changing requirements of public administration. Implemented, they could lower candidate anxiety and better determine the future leaders prepared for India's intricate governance agenda.

Source: Indian Express, Anudeep Durishetty’s GS4 Guide, UPSC Essentials