The prospects of rural and semi urban aspirants of the all India civil services are now brighter, thanks to changes in the preliminary exam pattern from this year.
The Government on Wednesday notified that one of the two papers in the prelims (screening test), the Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT), will only be a qualifying paper.
This means the marks scored in CSAT, or the General Studies II paper as it is officially called, would not be counted, provided the candidate scores a minimum of 33 per cent marks in this paper.
Instead, the general studies paper I will be taken into consideration for ranking successful candidates for main examination. The preliminary exam is scheduled to be held on August 23.
Since its introduction three years ago, the CSAT paper has been seen as benefiting urban students and technology and management graduates as it tests reasoning and little mathematical aptitude besides English language and comprehension abilities of the candidates.
“However,, the new pattern is definitely going to benefit rural and semi urban candidates as well as non-technology graduates because CSAT has become a glass ceiling for them since its introduction,” V Gopala Krishna, Director of Braintree India, a coaching institute here, told BusinessLine . The profile of candidates appearing for civil service has also undergone change for the last three years, thanks to CSAT with more B.Techs and MBAs preferring to take the exam because of their experience in preparing for similar tests such as IIT entrance and CAT.
“The new pattern removes the edge for management and technology graduates and will make it more representative,” says Krishna.
According to Krishna Pradeep, Director of 21st Century IAS, the profile of both aspirants as well successful candidates is bound to change from this year onwards. “As indicated by the Government, they could be more changes in the pattern once the committee to be constituted will give its recommendations.”
Mixed responseThe candidates have mixed reactions. “We lost advantage now and need to alter the strategies and there is little time to step up our preparation,” says a visibly disappointed V Raghavan, a B.Tech graduate and IAS aspirant.
However, Sagar Reddy, a post-graduate in Economics from Karimnagar, Telangana, is happy. “I now see much relevance of my studies in arts to the civil services exam and happy about removal of the English language part in the exam.”
About 4.5 lakh candidates applied for the preliminary exam held last year of which 18,000 people were qualified. In the results announced last month, about 3,300 candidates have been called for interviews which are currently on for 1,291 vacancies.