Next to the Indian Administrative Service examinations, the state civil service exams are the next most coveted qualifications amongst parents for their children. In Nagaland where ‘entrepreneurial skills’ are nascent and there is only a handful of first generation businessmen ‘sarkari’ employment provides the ‘gateway to heaven’. This makes the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC) Civil Service one of the pressed ‘employment’ forum for the educated unemployed of the state
This year a whopping 13,942 candidates appeared for various civil services and allied services Preliminary Examinations conducted by the Nagaland Public Services Commission (NPSC) on June 14, for a mere opening in 71 posts, These included posts such as Extra Assistant Commissioners (EAC), Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSP), Secretariat Assistants etc.Considering how coveted and important these exams mean are for the future of the youth and the administration of the state …it is shocking to learn of the casual approach while preparing the question papers for these tests.
A frustrated group of candidates have written an open letter to the NPSC secretary and what they state is reflection of ‘apathy and indifference’ and negligence of responsibility on the part of those in authority who oversee the competitive exams.
The candidates have in their letter say the NPSC Civil Service (Main) 2014, Paper I (MCQ) contained 200 questions of which , atleast 120 questions were copy paste from the Tata McGraw 2013 model questions. This they say is heavily weighed in favour of those who have read the said book only and the matter of level playing field stands compromised.
Further questions on current affairs have also been completely copied from the same book (page 99 to 103, Current Events). In fact five pages of that one single book, containing 50 marks were all ‘copy paste’!
The candidates have rightfully argued that the while the subject is ‘current affairs’ the questions should henceforth have dealt with issues taking place in 2013-2014 not 2011 to 2012 as these events are no longer current but take on more of a General Knowledge form. These could as easily have been dealt with in the General Knowlegde section of which there is a part in the examination papers.
Nobody is paying attention and giving thought to the questionnaire which is the only means by which the aptitude and calibre of the candidates can be judged. There can only be one reason why such casual and callous an attitude is shown in preparing these questionnaires ... the knowledge that the available seats are already compromised!
Not so long ago an NPSC aspirant was banned for three years from appearing for the civil service exams after he was caught using the mobile internet.
What then is the penalty that should be pinned on those who adopt such lackadaisical attitude to the responsibilities thrust on them? Has originality dies altogether in the age of the ‘smartphone’?
The NPSC it clearly shows is need of a muse.
