Lok Sabha Question No. 1703 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-09
Subject: Expert Committee for Civil Services
Ministry: PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS
Asked by: KAVITHA KALVAKUNTLA, SISIR KUMAR ADHIKARI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS (DEPARTMENT OF PERSONNEL AND TRAINING)

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1703

(TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.12.2015)

## EXPERT COMMITTEE FOR CIVIL SERVICES

## 1703.   SHRIMATI KAVITHAKALVAKUNTLA: SHRI SISIR KUMARADHIKARI:

Will the PRIME MINISTERbe pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has set upan expert committee to review the scheme,syllabus and pattern of UPSC's CivilServices Examination;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the details of the terms of referenceof the expert panel and the time by whichthey are likely to submit their report; and
- (d) the reasons and the purpose forrevamping the current pattern of UPSCCivil Services Examination?

## ANSWER

Minister of State in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions and Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office. (DR.JITENDRA SINGH)

(a)  to  (d):  The  Union  Public  Service  Commission  (UPSC)  has  constituted  an  Expert Committee under chairmanship of Shri B S Baswan to comprehensively examine the various issues  raised  from  time  to  time  regarding  Civil  Services  Examination,  with  respect  to  the eligibility,  syllabus,  scheme  and  pattern  of  the  Examination  vide  notice  dated  12.08.2015. The composition of the Committee, its terms of reference and tenure are at Annexure-I.

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## ANNEXURE-I AS REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to (d) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1703 ASKED BY SHRIMATI KAVITHA KALVAKUNTLA  AND  SHRI  SISIR  KUMAR  ADHIKARIREGARDING  EXPERT COMMITTEE FOR CIVIL SERVICESFOR ANSWER ON 09.12.2015.

The  Union  Public  Service  Commission  have  resolved  to  constitute  an  Expert Committee which consist of the following members:

| i)   | Shri B.S. Baswan                                               | -   | Chairman         |
|------|----------------------------------------------------------------|-----|------------------|
| ii)  | Shri B.N. Navalawala                                           | -   | Member           |
| iii) | Dr. HariPratapGautam                                           | -   | Member           |
| iv)  | Dr. Anil Sahasrabudhe                                          | -   | Member           |
| v)   | Prof. Peter Ronald deSouza                                     | -   | Member           |
| vi)  | Prof. B. Mahadevan                                             | -   | Member           |
| vii) | Sh. M.P. Tangirala, Additional Secretary (Examination), UPSC - |     | Member Secretary |

## 2. The terms of reference of the Expert Committee are:

- i) To  evaluate  the  effectiveness  of  the  existing  scheme  of  the  Civil  Services Examination in selecting suitable candidates for the Services participating  in the Examination, keeping in view various factors such as the need for inclusiveness in the selection process, fair mix of candidates from different disciplines, the skillsets required for a modern, effective and efficient civil service and trainability of selected  candidates,  after  reviewing  the  recommendations  of  previous  expert committees in this regard;
2. ii) To examine the Plan of the Examination and suggest suitable changes to both the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination and the Civil Services (Main) Examination (including the interview process), including, inter alia, whether there is  a  case  for  prescribing  different  papers  for  selection  to  different  participating Services,  the  number  of  papers  in  each  stage,  mix  of  compulsory  and  optional subjects,  their structure  (whether  objective  or  conventional  type),  their  duration, broad  areas  to  be  covered  in  each  paper,  medium  of  examination,  the  marking scheme,  weightage  of  marks,  and  system  of  evaluation,  so  as  to  arrive  at  an Examination pattern that  is  holistic  and does  not  exhibit any  bias  for or  against candidates from any particular stream, subject area, language, or region;
3. iii) To examine the time-frame in which the Examination is conducted and suggest suitable changes to reduce the time taken for selection of candidates by utilizing information and communication technologies, as well as by making changes to the various procedures mandated by the Examination Rules, including the methodology for operating reserve lists / waiting lists (if any);
4. iv) To suggest the timeframe for implementation of the revised pattern of Examination;
- v) To suggest suitable eligibility criteria for candidates appearing at the Examination, with  particular  reference  to  minimum  and  maximum  age  limits  and  number  of attempts; to review the eligibility criteria  for candidates, who have already been selected  to  different  services,  and  who  desire  to  reappear  for  selection  to  some other Service;

- vi) To suggest a mechanism for designing and periodically updating the syllabus for each  of  the  papers  in  the  two  stages,  including  unitization  of  syllabus,  proper coverage of content, and balance across subject  papers, such that the syllabi  are comprehensive, up-to- date, and suitable for a competitive evaluation of the merit of the candidates appearing at the Examination;
- vii) To review the logistical requirements and constraints of conducting the Examination in view of the increasing number  of candidates taking the Preliminary  Examination  and  suggest  improvements,  given  that  almost  half  the number of candidates who apply do not appear at the Preliminary Examination; and
- viii) To  examine  any  other  item  that  the  Expert  Committee  feels  is  relevant  to  the process of  selection  or  which  may  be  referred  to  the  Expert  Committee  by  the Commission/ Government.

3. It has been decided that the Expert Committee will submit its report within six months of its constitution.

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