Civil Services Examination (CSE) is a nationwide competitive examination in India conducted by the Union Public Service Commission for recruitment to various Civil Services of the Government of India, including Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Police Service (IPS), Indian Revenue Service (IRS) among others. A large group of students in July last year antagonized against the pattern of civil services examination which was conducted by the Union Public Services Commission (UPSC). The students had demanded for change in Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) or Paper II of civil services preliminary examination.

Extra chance for civil services 2011 candidates:

The candidates who have appeared for the civil services preliminary examination in 2011 will get an additional chance this year said by the a senior Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT). Following the antagonized, the government had decided that marks of the English section questions, asked in the paper, will not be included for gradation or merit. The change had come in force from civil services examination, 2014, onwards. A total of 4,72,290 candidates had applied for civil services preliminary examination 2011, out of which 2,43,003 had appeared.

“Candidates, who have appeared for civil services examination in 2011, may be given one more attempt in 2015,” Union Minister Jitendra Singh had said in Parliament in August last year. The paper pattern of civil services preliminary examination was changed from 2011 onwards. Before that, Paper I used to be on general studies and candidates were to choose an optional subject for Paper II. General category candidates are permitted six attempts, according to the notification by UPSC for civil services examination, 2014. Actually for General Category Candidates and OBC Category Candidates have 6 attempts, according to the notification by UPSC for civil services examination, 2014.  The civil services examination conducted in two phases. First the Preliminary examination, consisting of two objective-type papers (General Studies and Aptitude Test), and the Main examination, consisting of nine papers of conventional (essay) type followed by the Personality Test (Interview).

According to the information published on the website of the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances, the Narendra Modi’s government is planning to reduce the number of attempts. Making it 3 for General category, 5 for OBC category, and 6 for SC/ST category. If decided, then this change will come with effect from 2015 year of examination.