JPSC

Ranchi, Nov. 22: The state government is working to change the syllabus and question pattern of civil services examination and structure it on the lines of the UPSC curriculum.

The department of personnel and administrative reforms has swung into action to work out the necessary alteration after chief minister Arjun Munda received a proposal from Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC), which conducts the exam.

Personnel secretary Aditya Swaroop said the department was examining the rules for effecting the changes. “We want to structure the syllabus on the lines of UPSC and also incorporate local subjects,” he added.

The JPSC had shot off a letter to Munda on November 3, proposing amendment of rules to include objective-type questions in the syllabus. Sources said the chief minister’s office wanted to speed up the modalities so that the syllabus and other changes could come into effect from the fifth civil cervices examinations.

JPSC acting chairman A.K. Sengupta said the examinations through which civil servants, DSPs and other state cadre officers are recruited were being held under age-old rules — the Bihar Civil Services (executive branch) and the Bihar Junior Civil Services (recruitment) Rules 1951.

“The rules have virtually become archaic. At present, a candidate has to clear three stages — preliminary, mains and interview — to crack the test. The questions are subjective. As a result, a lot of time is pent on answering the questions, evaluating the papers and then publishing the results,” he added

The prelims is held on 300 marks — 100 for general knowledge and 200 for one of the optional papers — mains 400 marks (200 each for two subject papers) and interview 200 marks.

Sengupta further said the exam, in its present format, necessitated huge expenditure of public funds. “So, we have recommended changing the syllabus to the objective pattern, which will ensure timely result. The commission has also suggested amendment to the Bihar Civil Services (Executive Branch) and the Bihar Junior Civil Services (Recruitment) Rules 1951 to bring the changes,” he said.

The UPSC had recently effected changes in its syllabus by modelling the prelims on CAT.

Candidates will appear in two objective papers laying emphasis on testing their “aptitude for civil services” and “ethical and moral dimension of decision-making” under Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT).

Changes in the second and third stages — UPSC CS (main) examination and interview — are also on cards.