Dear Editor,
As far as I can recall back – since 2011, the APPSC is always in the news for their inefficiency, mismanagement and blunders. I am not going to complain anymore to the Commission but through this letter I would like to remind the Commission about their past inabilities to manage the examination affairs. The Commission should learn from their past mistakes; so that the future aspirant may not suffer. Needless to repeat but it is worth mentioning that the thousands of aspirants have suffered due to weakness and mismanagement of APPSC officials. In the following manner I would like to summarize the gross mistakes and mismanagement carried out by the APPSC till today:-
1. In past the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission used to take years to declare the results of exams. Such delay have demoralised the aspirants simultaneously hampered the development activities. Some aspirants were bound to knock the door of the law of the land to get their results.
2. In 2011 the answer script of Assistant Engineer (Civil) was found to be not checked. Around 40 aspirants equipped with RTI alleged that their Technical, General Knowledge and English paper were not evaluated. There were erroneous evolution of answer sheets and totalling in marks. The Commission was adamant to resolve the grievances placed by the aspirants. The protest carried out by the aspirants resulted into the complete burnt down of several rooms of the Commission’s building, including the Chairman’s chamber. Many important files and papers were also burnt to ashes. In spite of that the Commission conducted the interview in a make shift hotel room nearby APPSC office.
3. In 2015, the question paper of General Studies Paper-II of the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Combined Competitive Examinations (APPSCCE) (Mains 2014) was leaked. In this regard four officials of APPSC were suspended for their alleged involvement in the leakage of question papers of the APPSCE (Mains) 2014. The aggrieved candidates launched a series of agitation including hunger strike for several days which compelled the state government to order an enquiry. Fortunately the said exam was re – conducted. Albeit, the Commission re – conducted the exam but many aspirant lost their enthusiasm due to exhausts resulted from the agitation. Thus many deserving candidates lost their stamina and opportunities.
4. Last year, 2017, it was found out that more than half of the questions in some subject were copied from www.cssforum.com.pk, a resource website for civil services examinations in Pakistan. Some questions were also lifted from the 2008 Union Public Service Commission exams but without proper options to choose from. That was not all, in sociology, 90% of the questions were allegedly taken from an online discussion forum. The veterinary paper too had 60 questions taken from an online question bank Vetscan. The geography subject was so easy that even careless aspirant can obtain 90% of marks.
5. This year, 2018, the APPSC has manifested again their old habits of making mistakes by copying 60% of Geography optional questions from online preparation site/link called Examrace. The copied questions were meant for NET – JRF (UGC) Geography 2014. Ironically 65% of geography Paper should be covered by the India and world Geography but sadly apart from NET – JRF (UGC) Geography 2014 questions; the APPSCE (Preliminary) 2018 optional paper also contained maximum questions from geographical thought and economy geography which is not legitimate. The Commission has copied questions from online practice site/link, which do not follows UPSC or PSU geography syllabus. In fact the copied question has been prepared by some middle man via online. The Commission should maintain some decency. We do not expect such a sorry state of affairs from the Commission. The toughness of question are usually of three types i.e., easy, medium and Hard questions. Asking hard question from particular section of syllabus that too by copying from NET – JRF (UGC) 2014 will not serve the actual purpose of conducting preliminary exam.
The Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission must learn from their habits of making enormous errors in setting and leaking out question papers. If this is the condition of parental recruiting agency; just imagine what would be the conditions of departmental exams. All the aspirants have some shorts of problems like health problems, financial scarcity and tight schedule. In spite of that, aspirants prepare themselves for the exam. The APPSC member’s careless attitude can destroy the career of many young people. From some reliable source it is confirmed that only 50% aspirants have appeared for the exam. This is the result of Commission’s inefficiency. The aspirants are tired of such fiasco but when Commission will learn from such blunders? I do firmly believe that in near future the commission will not let the upcoming young aspirants to suffer, as many have already suffered.
Yours,
Retired APPSCE Aspirant