Continuous debate on CSAT preliminary examination

Updated on: Tuesday, August 19, 2014

The Government decision to exclude the marks in English from gradation or merit in the civil service preliminary test faces vigorous opposition by the personalities who were in position in the concerned departments and well known social scientists. It is necessary to check the ability and capabilities of the candidates in English and Aptitude before permitting them to write the main examinations former cabinet secretary Naresh Chandra indicated strongly about the need of English proficiency for higher official position like that of civil services.

In fact English comprehension test in Civil Service Aptitude Test (CSAT) which faces severe opposition by set of people, In certain areas of the country, is of X standard level and any candidate who have passed X standard can face it for obvious reasons, since time immemorial. English has become an official link language and cannot be avoided by quoting any reason. The people, who are oppositing, should think about considering English part of CSAT as on opportunity to develop themselves. The familiar quotation,

“Quitters Never win; Winners Never Quit”.

Why don’t the people, who are opposing CSAT, try to learn English and make them fit? Or why don’t the Government think about to educating good English them? Knowing or learning English, in no way disturbs any one from expertise their own English the reason being it is an official language and the main medium of official communication. In North- Eastern states and sometime it seem it is more necessary to learn than proficiency in most other regional languages. Experts claim why the Government is not thinking to make the agitating students to understand the importance of English and try to provide them an opportunity to agitators by offering free English coaching. What agitators are aiming? Whether meant for changes in UPSE pattern? Or whether to completely Scrap CSAT? Or simply anti- English agitator!.

How CSAT is helpful? While preparing for CSAT, candidates try to improve his aptitude and IQ in various areas of English and Mathematics. Why it becomes difficult or not understandable? Again we should blame the existing pattern of Examinations in these Areas?. There exists a situation now that a student can pass or get more marks in English Grammar without actually learning basic grammar? Something is applicable in Mathematics also? This implies that the students learn to face the exams somehow without actually learning the subjects. Commercial private Education is fully responsible for this kind of bad Education system. The private entrepreneurs may be good, no doubt, in business of any sort, certainly not for Education. Education should be handled by Educationists and Intellectuals who are even today serving only to the cause of Education, but nothing else.

Civil service officials are in a position to think, analyze and make crucial decisions in administration for all these areas, the Aptitude test is essential for an Individual. It is the Aptitude test which measures the Aptitude, IQ and intelligence which is really necessary for a civil service official. The Government may thing seriously to take measure to educate the agitators and provide them opportunities to learn all these things.

English in CSAT is not of literature standard and the candidates need not think of going to that extent. It is simply a test of Basic English awareness. The test aims simply whether the candidate is capable of handling the issues using their English proficiency. One thing should be thought about, here, the agitators should trust and consider English simply as a communication tool not as a language or better they are not supposed to associate any kind of sentiment will this issue

What is happen is now regarding this issue is concerned? Let us look into the gravity of present scenario. Inspite of severe protests by civil service aspirants and their political supporters from Hindi speaking areas the Government said that the marks foe English, comprehension II prefer of Preliminary Examinations of civil services will not be graded. What does it mean? It is considered as minimum qualification not as to decide the eligibility to quality for main examination which is the next stage of civil service examinations. It means, no scrapping of CSAT, but it will remain still.

Continuous debate on CSAT preliminary examination

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