Dear Editor
It was 16th of September 2014, I woke up with a delightful heart. It was the day when my APPSCE (Mains) 2013-2014 were supposed to be over. I somehow woke up though slept late at night reminding myself “It’s okay. One more day of hard work, then you can take rest ! ‘
I was happy that I could finally spend some quality time with my family specially my ailing mother.
But i reached my exam center only to witness a bunch of candidates blocking the entrance gate. They were hell adamant that they will not let a single candidate enter the examination center and appear for the exam.
The reason for the restraint – GS Paper II that we appeared for on the day before the previous day was alleged to have been leaked. It appeared that the paper was the exact replica of a sample paper which was already in public domain and in fact to add fuel on the fire it was confirmed by some candidates that their coaching institute teachers had already trained them to solve it. If GS -II was leaked( alleged) and there is high chance other papers were leaked too.
And the Aftermath…of course everyone remembers the hunger strike, backed and supported by many people with different spheres of society ,politicians, academicians, social activists, student unions.
The commission admitted it’s mistake and re conducted the whole mains exam.
But it’s ok, to err is human .
On 26th November 2017, I stored up my faith and confidence again to appear for the Prelims. This time to fulfill my deceased mother’s desire to see me as a civil servant.
I cannot forget the sacrifices she made and the few times left of her life she sacrificed so that i can prepare well for the exam. I was just gearing up for the mains when the news hit the social and print media again! Mass copy pasting of questions from the internet. Geography paper was too easy, out of syllabus questions. Candidates cried fowl play and alleged anyone can have access to this internet sites and can have unfair advantage. This time too apology was rendered by the commission and the prelims was cancelled, re conducted again!
Not a big issue, to err is human!
On 29th July 2018, with high expectations attended the Prelims once again. Internet services were interrupted to avoid any malpractices as you see people here tend to solve questions by directly googling it in the exam hall. This time, hopes were high because it is very unlikely that a blunder be repeated again and again. After the exam several anomalies were pointed out. Some questions were wrong, there were no right options in some, some questions were out of syllabus and the allegations of infamous mass copy pasting cropped up again! This time, in Geography paper, almost 68 questions were directly copy pasted from UGC NET paper 2014. Aggrieved candidates went with their grievances to the commission. The commission very well assured that they will look into the grievances and refer the matter to expert. But after few hours, when people were making their bed, the results were published in their websites without any clarification nor addressing any of the grievances.
I was shocked and confused whether using mobile internet in an exam hall is a cheating or this is cheating!
It was blatantly declared by the commission” We cannot satisfy everybody and the commission has taken a rightful decision “.
If they cannot satisfy everyone, who are the bunch of privileged persons they want to satisfy? If they followed the rules of justice and equity, they ought not to have entertained anyone or ought to have entertained everyone. If they can satisfy or entertain only few, they are biased & partial.
Despite the requests, neither answer keys nor cut off were provided. No opportunities were given to raise objections against wrong questions, wrong options and out of syllabus options. A complete deprivation of Article 14 which guarantees equality before law. The government is silent, not enough support form the civil societies like that of last time. The commission is indeed an autonomous body but is it above ‘rule of law’?
Should we accept this lackadaisical and arbitrary attitude and sleep over it?
On 16th of August vide its notification, a second list of qualified candidates was published. This additional list is in consequent upon rectification of some Technical errors! Apparently, all the qualified in the additional list are geography candidates and most probably all who had the SET-C of the question paper. Just a day after AAPSU sought d re- valuation of geography paper, the additional list was out. The commission again gave a statement that it was a ‘Human Error’ and ‘ to err is human.
If at all there was a technical error, how can we rely on the earlier valuation of the paper? If at all the wrong answer keys were fed, how can we not apprehend that the valuation of other papers were not jeopardized with? And if at all it was a “Human Error”, who were the humans responsible for this??
The aggrieved and dejected candidates are crying going here and there for support but they are fed with the notion that “it is your fault. You have not prepared well. You are a joker ! You are not eligible to become a civil servant”. The reason for the agitation is same like before.
But its okay because To err is APPSC!
Yours,
A Helpless Candidate