IAS Exam Pattern likely to Change, UPSC Constitutes Committee to Review Current Selection Process

Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is likely to change the examination pattern of IAS Exam (Civil Services Exam). An expert Committee panel has been constituted under the chairmanship of B. S. Baswan to examine the issues and queries, raised from time to time, related to the pattern of Civil Services Examination. The panel will comprehensively examine the current eligibility, syllabus, scheme and pattern of the Examination.

The Committee has been given extension of time till August 2016 to submit its report.

This was stated by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Dr. Jitendra Singh in a written reply to a question by Shri Neeraj Shekhar in the Rajya Sabha on 25th February 2016. (Source: PIB)

Terms of reference of the expert committee

• To evaluate the effectiveness of the existing scheme of the civil services examination in selecting suitable candidates keeping in view various factors such as inclusiveness, fair mix of candidates from different disciplines, etc.

• To examine the plan of the examination and suggest suitable changes to all the three stages of the examination viz., preliminary, mains and interview.

• To examine the time frame in which the examination is conducted and suggest suitable changes to reduce the time taken for selection of candidates by utilizing information and communication technologies, etc.

• To suggest timeframe for implementation of the revised pattern of examination

• To suggest suitable eligibility criteria for candidates appearing at the examination with special reference to minimum and maximum age limits, number of attempts; to review the eligibility criteria for candidates, who have already been selected to different services, and who desire to reappear for selection to some other services;

• To suggest a mechanism for designing and periodically updating the syllabus for each of the papers in the two states

• To review the logistical requirements and constrainsts of conducting the examination in view of the increasing number of candidates at the preliminary level.

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