Dear Editor,
I would like to express few of my observations on
the recently concluded Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Combined Competitive Examination [APPSCCE] (Prelims) held on 29th July 2018.
Good Works:
Firstly, I would like to congratulate the APPSC on smooth and successful conduct of most awaited examination.
The administrative machinery was well mobilized to achieve the desired goal. The security arrangement as well as proper training/briefings imparted to the invigilators was encouraging for the candidates.
Question sealed in hard plastic cover unlike before is also worth mentioning and commendable.
Most unique arrangement in the history of the APPSCCE was the one of suspending the mobile internet services during the exam hours.
Lessons for APPSC:
However, soon after the exam, reports of anomalies in some of the optional papers surfaced. The candidates of commerce and civil engineering voiced their concerns over questions being set out of syllabus and erroneous. The Geography candidates claimed more than 50%
questions had been copy pasted from single website leading to the apprehensions that the questions might have been leaked indirectly.
It is apparent that the APPSC have lacked in rationalizing the optional papers even after the last APPSCCE (Prelims) 2017 fiasco which eventually led to its re-conduct.
In order to have balanced Paper, the APPSC could strictly direct the question setters to adhere to the prescribed syllabus. A balanced paper could very well be set by dividing the number of questions within the topics prescribed in the syllabus while maintaining level
of toughness – easy, medium and hard among the equal number of questions.
However, the biggest take away and lesson for the APPSC have to be ‘Do away with the optional papers’ before the next fresh notification of the APPSCCE and conduct exam in line with the UPSC pattern to provide level playing field to all the aspiring candidates.
What now?
I personally feel the APPSC is right in declaring results of the Prelims after duly addressing to the grievances and concerns of the Commerce, Geography and Civil engineering candidates.
Dilly-dallaying and prolonging the examination has not done any good for anyone.
Similarly, the Mains examination should be conducted at the earliest within October – November 2018 and thereafter, wrap up the Viva-Voce
and final results by February 2019 for the following reasons:
1. The Hon’ble Guwahati High Court has directed the State government to conduct Panchayati Raj elections within December 2018.
2. The semester exams of the colleges/universities usually fall in the month of December.
3. The DySP probationers in the final selection list may be able to join basic training by February 2019.
4. Other unforeseen developments which may prolong the examination.
Therefore, I request the APPSC through your daily to incorporate the suggestions jotted herein above. Prolonged and delayed examination keeps an aspiring candidate in suspended animation wherein he/she is ‘Na Ghar ka Na Ghat ka’. This Year, I have crossed 30 yrs of age officially and I don’t know when my mental stamina will diminish. And like me, many others.
Yours,
A Qualified Candidate