Of NPSC & Viva Personality test marks

Lipok Jamir
Kohima  

NPSC recently declared the marks list of NCS, NPS, NSS& Allied Services Examination 2015 (http://www.npsc.co.in/notifications/3433.html) which has caused a raging debate in the social media over the marks allotted to the candidates in the Viva Personality Test.  

A couple of observations: 1. Out of the 330 candidates that appeared for the Viva Personality Test, there were candidates who scored as low as 30 out of 75 while there were many who scored 74 out of 75. This seems ludicrous. A Personality test is conducted to assess the Personality of the candidate. So, it is only natural to wonder why some scored as low as 30 while others scored as high as 74.  

Does this mean that those candidates who scored between30-35 have very bad personality and isn’t eligible to work for the Govt. One is tempted to assume that those candidates who scored around 30 marks was on ‘dumb mode’during the personality test or acted stupid and crazy inside the interview room like challenging the interview board or throwing the furniture around or jumping out of the window. At the same time, how could some candidate score as high as 74 out of 75? What magical words flew out of their lips during the interview? With what charm did they fill the interview room that after spending half an hour with the board members, all of them decided unanimously that such candidates have 99% perfect personality?  

Since it is a Personality Test and not an MCQ exam, we can assume that the marks of the test should range from 45-65. For example: Let’s see the 2016 UPSC final result. More than 3000 candidates were called for interview. The highest mark allotted was 206 out of 275 which was secured by only 13 candidates out of the 3000+.Just imagine the outrage that would have swept across the nation, if some candidates had scored 270+ out of 275 in the Viva Personality Test. The current trend of allocating 74/75 marks in the Viva Personality Test needs to be checked. Or should we be happy that in this age of RTI, some candidates aren’t scoring 100 out of 75? 2. Competition for the NPSC Civil Services exam has become very strong. All the candidates that are qualified for the interview are equally capable and smart. If we consider the top 50 marks in the mains exam, we will see that their mains exam marks differ only by 10-15 marks.Therefore, except for some exceptional cases who scores very high at the mains exams, the final ranking list depends upon the mark scored at the Viva Personality Test.Hence when the Viva test marks vary from 30 to 74, it is only natural to suspect foul play.As mentioned above, it is inconceivable to even think that a person can score 74 out of 75 marks in the Personality Test unless it is a MCQ test or a Maths Exam.  

Believe it or not, there were at least 13 candidates who scored 74 out of 75 and some more who scored between 73 to 75 (73.20, 73.60, 73.80, 74.12etc). On a lighter note, the future of Nagaland looks very bright indeed when NPSC declares annually that there are at least 20+ Naga youths with Christ like personality. At this scale, we will be producing 100 Youths with Christ like personality every Five years. Take a bow NBCC. NPSC is here.  

Two sincere suggestions to the NPSC: 1. Follow the UPSC model while allocating Viva/Personality Test marks. UPSC normally keep 75% of the total mark as the highest benchmark. (75% of 275 =206). The highest mark scored in UPSC CSE Interview both in 2015 and 2016 was 206. The highest ever mark secured during UPSC CSE interview in recent memory is 220/275 in 2014. In 2012 a candidate secured 245 marks but it was out of 300. Hence NPSC should set a benchmark of 75% of the total mark as the maximum mark that can ever be allotted to a candidate during the interview. (75% of 75 = 56.25). Some exceptional cases can be made where a maximum of 60/75 marks can be allotted to exceptional candidates. 2. Follow the UPSC model of conducting interviews. Since it is a Personality Test and not a memory test, more of issue based questions should be asked during the Interview. It has been observed that over the years, more of factual questions are asked during the interview.Nothing wrong with asking such questions but how can we assess the personality of a candidate by testing if he knows when the Russian Revolution took place? Factual questions if needed to be asked should be connected with a discussion on an issue around the factual question.