Latest news with #CivilServicesExamination
Indian Express
6 hours ago
- Indian Express
After Puja Khedkar row, 92% UPSC applicants voluntarily opt for Aadhaar authentication on new exam portal
A week after the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) launched its revamped exam portal with Aadhaar-based authentication, over 92% of those who registered have opted to use their Aadhaar for identity verification, The Indian Express has learnt. The new portal, launched on May 28, is part of a broader push to streamline the application process for exams conducted by the UPSC. Candidates are now required to register through a four-step process—account creation, universal registration, common application form, and examination application—on the portal As of Wednesday, the UPSC said 2.65 lakh accounts had been created on the new platform. Of these, 1.13 lakh users completed the universal registration, and 1.05 lakh of them chose Aadhaar authentication. About 60,000 had filled the common application form, while 55,000 forms were still under process. 'We are continuously improving the features and user-friendliness of the portal. The focus is on eliminating duplication—candidates won't have to enter their information multiple times. Once submitted, it can be reused for various exams, improving their convenience,' UPSC Chairman Dr. Ajay Kumar told The Indian Express. This is the first time the UPSC is implementing biometric-based authentication for its exams. Though Aadhaar had been accepted as one of several ID documents earlier, the Commission did not previously carry out biometric authentication. That changed in August last year, when the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) authorised the UPSC to conduct Aadhaar authentication—on a voluntary basis—for verifying candidates' identity. The DoPT notification, issued on August 28, 2024, allowed the UPSC to use Aadhaar verification at the registration stage and during various phases of the examination and recruitment process, using either Yes/No or e-KYC authentication. The decision followed the high-profile case of Puja Khedkar, a probationary IAS officer who allegedly appeared for the 2022 Civil Services Examination despite exceeding the maximum number of allowed attempts. The UPSC later cancelled her candidature, citing discrepancies in her application, including changes to her name and her parents' names across attempts. The DoPT subsequently dismissed her from service. Khedkar has denied the allegations and challenged the decisions in court. The new portal covers 14 major UPSC exams, including the Civil Services Examination, Combined Defence Services Examination, and the National Defence Academy Examination. While Aadhaar authentication is voluntary, officials said the UPSC is encouraging candidates to opt for it, as it speeds up verification. Those choosing other forms of ID may face delays in the authentication process. In a statement on May 28, the UPSC had said: 'Applicants are strongly advised to use their Aadhaar Card as ID document in the Universal Application for easy, effortless and seamless verification and authentication of ID and other details, after which it serves as a permanent and common record for all examinations.' Damini Nath is an Assistant Editor with the national bureau of The Indian Express. She covers the housing and urban affairs and Election Commission beats. She has 11 years of experience as a reporter and sub-editor. Before joining The Indian Express in 2022, she was a reporter with The Hindu's national bureau covering culture, social justice, housing and urban affairs and the Election Commission. ... Read More
NDTV
6 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Ex-RBI Governor Calls For Reforms In UPSC Exam, Proposes Age, Attempt Limits
Former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Dr Duvvuri Subbarao has called for major reforms in the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination (CSE). He recommended significant changes, including an age cap, limits on the number of attempts, and the creation of a new entry channel for professionals in their 40s. In his opinion piece in The Times of India, Dr Subbarao highlighted what he described as a "colossal waste of human potential" under the current system, where aspirants spend years preparing for a highly competitive exam with limited chances of success. "For every successful candidate, there are at least 10 others who too have invested years in preparation but have failed to make the grade. They are back at square one. An abysmal waste of productive years?" he wrote. Dr Subbarao proposed two key reforms. First, he advocated a reduction in both the maximum number of attempts and the upper age limit. Currently, aspirants can take the exam up to six times between the ages of 21 and 32. He suggested this should be limited to three attempts and the age cap reduced to 27. "Lakhs compete for a thousand-odd positions, making the chance of success extremely small. Yet candidates keep at it till they exhaust all their allowed attempts, even as the odds are stacked against them. This is a colossal waste of human potential. It also pushes many candidates into deep financial and psychological turmoil," he said. He warned that the current framework leads aspirants to fall prey to the 'sunk cost fallacy'. "After all, they are susceptible to the 'sunk cost fallacy'-'I've invested so much time, money and effort. All that will go waste if I give up now. Maybe I will succeed this time round.'" Reflecting on his own experience in the 1970s, when the exam allowed only two attempts within the 21-24 age band, Subbarao said the system has now "gone too far" in the other direction. He also cautioned that too many attempts favour those who master exam techniques over those with genuine aptitude. "Any examination that allows as many as six chances is likely to privilege mastery of exam technique over inherent merit," he wrote. His second proposal is the introduction of a structured, annual Tier-2 recruitment channel for experienced professionals aged 40-42. Unlike current lateral entries, this route would function as a permanent part of the UPSC system. "They can pursue other careers and take another shot at the exam mid-career," he wrote, adding that such candidates would bring valuable external perspectives to governance. "Tier-2 recruits will make up for these lacunae and make the civil service collectively more relevant and useful, and maybe even more caring." Dr Subbarao emphasised that his proposals are not aimed at dismantling the existing entry route for younger candidates. "There is a lot to be said for continuing to recruit young people into the IAS. They bring in youthful spirit, raw enthusiasm, and unspoilt enterprise into administration." While acknowledging that the civil services examination has evolved significantly over the decades, the former RBI Governor said, "The civil service exam has vastly improved from the time I took it over 50 years ago. But there is still a need to push the envelope."
Indian Express
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
DoPT initiates probe into ‘fake' certificates submitted by officers of Central services
The Department of Personnel and Training has asked state governments to verify the authenticity of certificates submitted by more than a dozen Central services' officers while availing of various reservations in the Civil Services Examination, The Indian Express has learnt. The DoPT has recently sent more than a dozen letters seeking verification of the certificates, a DoPT source said on condition of anonymity. At least one such letter was sent to the Rajasthan government on May 5 asking for the verification of the income and asset certificate submitted by an IAS officer of 2022 batch. The officer, who is from Rajasthan, was selected under the Economically Weaker Section category and allotted the Madhya Pradesh cadre, as per the letter sent to the Rajasthan Chief Secretary. The DoPT also forwarded the complaint alleging use of fake income and asset certificate by the officer in question, which was forwarded to it by the Union Public Service Commission. 'The State Government is requested to verify the authenticity of I&A certificate issued to [name of the officer] under EWS category,' the DoPT wrote. The letter was shared by RTI activist Vijay Kumbhar, who had filed complaints regarding 22 officers with fake certificates of different kinds, such as EWS, SC, ST, persons with benchmark disabilities and OBC non-creamy layer, last year. Kumbhar, who is also associated with the Aam Aadmi Party, said the DoPT had initiated an inquiry into the alleged misuse of reservation certificates by multiple candidates who appeared for the CSE from 2015 to 2023. Kumbhar had also flagged the alleged fake disability certificate used by then-IAS probationer Puja Khedkar last year. The DoPT in September 2024 discharged her from service, finding that she was ineligible to be a candidate in the 2022 exam. Khedkar has challenged the decisions and the matter is pending in court. Damini Nath is an Assistant Editor with the national bureau of The Indian Express. She covers the housing and urban affairs and Election Commission beats. She has 11 years of experience as a reporter and sub-editor. Before joining The Indian Express in 2022, she was a reporter with The Hindu's national bureau covering culture, social justice, housing and urban affairs and the Election Commission. ... Read More
Indian Express
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Haj panel to restart UPSC coaching centre, 20% seats for other minorities
Over a year after shutting down its residential coaching facility for Muslim Civil Services aspirants, the Haj Committee of India (HCI) has announced the reopening of its Mumbai-based training centre. The revamped programme will now reserve 20% of its seats for candidates from other minority communities, Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs). While non-Muslim candidates were informally provided accommodation support during the exam period earlier, this is the first time that the HCI has officially included seats for other minorities in its selection process. 'This decision was taken by the committee last year to make the institute more inclusive. It is also expected to encourage a competitive atmosphere and healthy learning environment for Civil Services aspirants,' said HCI CEO Shanavas C. An official notification was issued on May 22, inviting applications for the upcoming batch aimed at preparing aspirants for the 2026 Civil Services Examination. An entrance test will be held on July 13, simultaneously across 21 centres in India. This will be followed by an essay-writing round and personal interviews to select 100 candidates. The coaching programme will commence from August 11. The notification specified that 80 seats would be reserved for Muslim candidates, while the remaining 20 seats would be allocated to other minority groups, SCs, STs and OBCs. Funded by donations that the HCI receives from people going for Haj, the Haj House Residential Coaching Institute — the only one of its kind run by the HCI — was established in 2009 to provide affordable residential coaching to Muslim students. Since then, sources said, about 1,500 students have undergone coaching, with 25 getting selected for the Civil Services. Following a cut in student intake that led to protests in 2022, and an admissions cycle delayed by the pandemic, the institute was closed in December 2023. The HCI had said it was a temporary suspension, and assured that it would restart soon. Several meetings were held in preparation for the new academic cycle, said sources. 'The (minority affairs) ministry has expressed its support. In fact, we are considering starting similar centres in other states where the necessary infrastructure is ready,' said Shanavas C. While accommodation and coaching will be provided free of cost, food will be subsidised. 'We are currently working on formalising a policy for food-related expenses,' said Deputy CEO Sadafat Ali. The age limit for applicants has been capped at 30 years, although the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) allows age relaxation up to 35 years for OBCs and 37 years for SCs and STs. The HCI said the age limit has been set to support younger aspirants.
The Hindu
28-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
DoPT asks Rajasthan government to probe income certificate of IAS officer
The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has asked the Rajasthan government to probe the authenticity of Income and Asset (I&A) certificate submitted by an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer which he used to avail the Economically Weaker Sections' (EWS) quota while appearing for the Civil Services Examination in 2021. The officer, a domicile of Rajasthan, was selected for the IAS in the year 2022 and was allotted the Madhya Pradesh cadre. Following a complaint by Vijay Kumbhar, a Pune-based social activist who is also associated with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the DoPT on May 5 asked the Rajasthan government to 'verify the authenticity of I&A certificate' issued to the officer 'under EWS category' and sought its comments. A copy of the letter is marked to the Madhya Pradesh government. A response from the DoPT is awaited. DoPT is the cadre controlling authority of IAS officers. According to Mr. Kumbhar, who was the first to complain against IAS probationer Puja Khedkar who was sacked in 2024 for allegedly submitting fake Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) certificates and Other Backward Classes (OBC) certificates to clear the 2022 civil services exam, there are at least 15 serving officers in various services who are facing the probe for misusing the reservation through fraudulent documents. He said he wrote to the President of India in August 2024 highlighting the irregularities in certificates submitted by 22 candidates under various reserved categories such as EWS, PwBD, Other Backward Classes-Non-Creamy Layer (OBC-NCL), Scheduled Caste (SC), and Scheduled Tribe (ST) between 2015 and 2023. 'Initially when I wrote to the President, I did not get a response. However, when I started filing Right to Information (RTI) applications, the DoPT initiated the probe against documents submitted by 15 officers which include 11 IAS, two Indian Police Service (IPS), one Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and one Indian Revenue Services (IRS) officers,' Mr. Kumbhar said. 'The current probe, spanning Civil Services Examination candidates over nearly a decade, highlights a pattern of misuse that can no longer be dismissed as isolated or exceptional,' Mr. Kumbhar said. On July 26 last year, the DoPT initiated an enquiry against six civil servants including probationers to re-examine their disability parameters. The enquiry followed after several posts on social media questioned the sanctity of PwBD quota as social media profiles of the officers showed them dancing, playing sports and other outdoor activities, in contravention to the physical condition described by them in official records. The IAS and IRS officers cleared the exams in 2010, 2014, 2019, 2020 and 2021. Former IAS officer Sanjeev Gupta said that the cadre allocation of officers must show the EWS and PwBD categories against their names like it is done in the case of SC and ST officers.
