UPSC to come out with a notification bringing crucial changes in its Main examination

Updated on: Thursday, February 28, 2013

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) will this week come out with a notification bringing crucial changes in its Main examination after successfully introducing changes in the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination two years ago.

The change, coming into effect from this year, will give more weight to general studies by introducing new papers replacing optional subjects.

Idea of such a move is to ensure that all candidates are judged "on the basis of in-depth knowledge and understanding rather than information gathered at the last moment".

"The notification is most likely to come out on Thursday or Friday," said a senior official.

The civil services examination (CSE), which is meant for selecting candidates for elite central services like IAS, IFS, IPS, IRS and others, has three stages comprising preliminary, main and personality test (interview).

The UPSC, which changed the preliminary examination pattern in 2011 by infusing elements of aptitude test, had brought a minor change in the main examination pattern last time in 1993 when it introduced an additional paper of essay. Now, aspirants have to appear in two optional subjects — two papers each — besides one paper on essay and two papers on general studies.

The Commission has, so far, temporarily withhold issuance of a notification for this year's civil services examinations, which was scheduled to be notified on February 2. The Commission, however, later said it could not notify the CSE due to some unforeseen circumstances.

UPSC to come out with a notification bringing crucial changes in its Main examination

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