For long, I had hoped that some candidate would write on the recently conducted NPSC Civil Service and Allied exam, but perhaps the World Cup fever had dulled their senses ans so I am forced to write down some for the enlightenment of all. As tradition, the recently conducted NPSC civil service exam held on June 30 and July 1st was far from perfect with huge consequences on the intending candidates, some of which I would like to draw attention to.
In the political science paper, there was repetition of the same question in No.143 and 144. in the history optional paper, two questions were factually wrong. Question No:9 asks Kautilya’s eight limb of the state. Kautilya gave seven limb theory known as Saptanga and there is no mention of the eight limb. Question No 145 on Shivaji’s assumption of the title ‘Chatrapati’ or coronation, none of the options given is correct. The right answer is 1674 (see standardized text). Awarding of marks of the error questions to the respective optional candidates would bring them to an advantage position vis a vis other subject candidates, on the other hand if marks of the error question are not given then the candidates of the affected optional subjects are placed at the disadvantaged position. Either way the candidates are affected and there is no level playing field.
In an exam where selection for the post or rather future are decided by decimal points as was evidenced in the last year exam, such errors places the candidates future at great risk. The question is how the NPSC officials will tackle these errors.
Lastly, it is learnt that recently, one of the candidate in the waiting list of the last year NPSC civil service and allied exam was appointed to the post of Inspector of Taxes, the reason being the actual selected candidate did not opt for the post. Now, how could NPSC manned by learned officials do such a thing? Either their intelligence is to be questioned or their integrity. The first sane thing should have been to award the post to the next merit candidate who has opted for the post and thus accordingly and not to the waiting list candidate. By appointing the waiting list candidate to the post of Inspector of Taxes the NPSC have made the person arbitrarily more meritorious than other successful candidates many of whom had opted for that post then, are presently holding.
Despite several wake up calls the NPSC continues to be incorrigible and fail itself and the people. Its time the whole recruitment be given to UPSC which is more transparent and efficient.
Karamicheal, Dimapur
