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AP puts off Group-1 Mains
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Errors in prelims force state to postpone Mains to Sept. 16 The APPSC has not revealed the number of erroneous questions and the marks it has awarded for these errors. Following widespread protests by Group-I candidates who complained of “grave errors” in the preliminary exam question papers, the AP Public Service Commission on Sunday decided to postpone the Mains exams, which were scheduled to begin from Monday, September 3. The exams will now be held from September 16 to 26.
In an emergency meeting on Sunday, an additional 1,201 students were declared qualified in the
Prelims, making them eligible to appear for the Mains. The APPSC had earlier shortlisted 16,426 candidates for the Mains to fill 314 G-1 posts.
The meeting also decided to postpone the exams and prepare a revised merit list of the Prelims exam by awarding marks in lieu of the errors. APPSC chairman Rachel Chatterjee, secretary Poonam Malakondaiah and members of the commission were present in the meeting.
The APPSC, however, has not revealed the number of erroneous questions and the marks it has awarded in lieu of these errors. It has also not disclosed the number of total candidates who were declared as qualified for Mains since there was a possibility of change in the earlier cut-off marks, and the number of candidates who were declared as qualified as per the old cut-off marks. The commission had released the “prelims key” only after the AP Administrative Tribunal, on an appeal by some candidates, had directed the APPSC to post the key on its website.
Had the candidates not insisted on the key, it would have cost the 1,201 candidates, who have now been declared as qualified, dear. Despite frequently landing in trouble due to its opaqueness in conducting recruitment exams, the Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) has failed to take corrective measures. This “secrecy” has also given rise to allegations that it has given undue benefits to some candidates.
In fact, the agitating candidates on Sunday were not satisfied with the postponement of the exams and the eligibility of the extra 1,201 candidates, and are planning to move the AP High Court on Monday.
While the candidates allege eight errors in the
Prelims papers, there is no clarity on how many errors the APPSC has owned up to.
In fact goof-ups in question papers, errors in translation etc, have become common over the years. Earlier in May, APPSC postponed the junior lecturers' recruitment exam after the candidates reached the centres stating that the flight carrying the question papers had not arrived.
Though the Commission claims that it has been utilising the services of eminent professors and subject experts to draft question papers, even questions such as “The National Science Day will be observed on which day?” were framed
erroneously in the Group-I prelims exam.
The answer was given as February 22, while the correct date is February 28.
“The Commission held a special meeting to consider the representations/objections raised by candidates.
These objections have been thoroughly examined and the final key is now published on the Commission’s Website. Based on this key, 1,201 additional candidates are qualified to write Group-I Mains exams. The list of these candidates is available on the website.
They can download their hall tickets from September 5 from 5 pm onwards,” said APPSC secretary Poonam Malakondaiah. |
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