Editor,
On the basis of the recent marksheets released, our speculation regarding undermining of level playing field in the APPSCCE (mains) due to optional papers concretely came to the fore.
Recent scorecards have shown that the principle of fair play has been sidelined seriously by optional papers. Many candidates, despite scoring reasonably higher in general studies paper, ie, fairly higher than final selected candidates, have been thrown out of the race only due to huge disparities in scores seen in the optional papers.
On the one hand, some candidates’ marks in general studies were average but were found to have scored 370 to 380 marks in optional papers, because of which they achieved final selection. On the other hand, there are candidates whose scores are fairly higher but could not achieve final selection only because of insane marking difference in the optionals. For example, in an optional paper like political science and international relations (PSIR), candidates are rarely seen scoring more than even 250 marks due to the highly subjective nature of the paper; likewise, there are other optional papers too, whose candidates, despite toiling hard, cannot score as high as 370-380 and thereby remains out of the race.
Now the argument may be made as to why one did not change the optional. The answer is because many who have done graduation and masters in that particular discipline feel it’s comfortable to write exams in that particular paper and a sudden shift to the perceived high scoring optionals appears risky.
The sad reality is that we have developed the culture of perceiving argument presented after failure as ‘finding pretext’ and I know my points here shall also be treated as an act of finding pretext and looked down consequently, but whether we accept it or not, we cannot escape from the fact that optional papers are depriving many serious aspirants repeatedly, defeating fair play principles and undermining the very idea of meritocracy.
The insane disparity of marks in optional papers, generally the disparity of more than 150 marks, is not a joke in competitive exams. States like Uttar pradesh and Assam have already realised the unfairness that stemmed from optional papers and consequently removed them. Our honourable commission needs to imitate such a progressive step to make sure that level playing field is provided and no one is deprived due to optionals.
The commission, which is a ray of hope for aspirants from all corners of the state, should take progressive steps in the interest of the candidates; else this injustice shall continue and many deserving and honest aspirants who could have entered into the state’s bureaucracy could be deterred only because of optionals.
Therefore, the commission must not ignore this side of the story and must seriously review and rethink this matter, so that the twin objectives of the APPSC, ie, fair play and meritocracy, sound loud.
Twice interview
appeared aspirant