Bhubaneswar – A group of aspirants appearing for the Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) Mains Examination has submitted a formal request to the OPSC Chairman, Shri Arun Kumar Sarangi, urging reforms in various aspects of the examination process. The letter highlights critical concerns related to the exam timetable, question framing, answer sheet quality, and evaluation process, calling for immediate corrective measures to ensure fairness and efficiency.
Key Issues Raised
- Mismatch in Timetable with UPSC Mains
A major concern is the lack of synchronization between OPSC and UPSC Mains exams, which affects aspirants preparing for both. Unlike UPSC, which provides a 5-day gap for optional papers, OPSC schedules them back-to-back, giving candidates insufficient time for revision. Additionally, OPSC Mains often falls on working days, making it difficult for working aspirants to participate effectively.
- Question Paper Irregularities
Although OPSC aligned its syllabus with UPSC in 2022, aspirants claim that the question papers do not comprehensively cover the syllabus. The letter points out imbalanced question distribution, inclusion of out-of-syllabus topics, and inconsistencies in pattern. For instance:
World History questions were asked in GS-I, even though they are not part of the syllabus.
Case studies were missing in the Ethics paper (GS-IV), unlike the structured format followed by UPSC.
GS-II had 32 questions, making it excessively lengthy and unmanageable.
Aspirants demand a balanced question pattern, similar to UPSC, with 10 (15-mark) and 10 (10-mark) questions per paper for standardization.
- Poor Answer Sheet Quality
Unlike UPSC, which provides high-quality plain white answer sheets, OPSC still uses rolling paper, which aspirants say is difficult to write on and slows down writing speed. They have requested a shift to plain white paper to improve presentation and efficiency.
- Inconsistent Evaluation Process
Concerns over marking biases and a lack of normalization in evaluation have also been raised.
The letter highlights that:
Some candidates scored extremely high marks (187-190 out of 250) in GS papers, raising fairness concerns.
Optional subjects like PSIR & Public Administration received disproportionately high scores, while others like Odia Literature, Geography, and Home Science saw abnormally low scores.
In the past, Odia Literature students frequently ranked among the toppers, but in recent years, their success rate has significantly declined.
The aspirants have requested the reintroduction of the Chief Evaluator System and normalization of marks across all optional subjects to prevent unfair advantages.
Analysis and Recommendations
The concerns raised by aspirants point to significant gaps in fairness, transparency, and efficiency within the OPSC Mains examination process. Given that OPSC has already taken steps to align its syllabus with UPSC, further reforms in scheduling, question-setting, answer sheet quality, and evaluation methods will help ensure a level playing field.
Suggestions for Reform
- Timetable Synchronization: Align OPSC Mains with UPSC, especially by providing adequate gaps between optional papers for fair preparation.
- Balanced Question Framing: Ensure comprehensive syllabus coverage, avoid out-of-syllabus questions, and adopt a standardized format similar to UPSC.
- Better Answer Sheets: Switch to plain white paper for improved writing efficiency and presentation.
- Fair Evaluation Practices: Implement mark normalization across subjects to eliminate scoring biases. Reinstate the Chief Evaluator System for better cross-checking and accountability.
With thousands of aspirants depending on OPSC for their civil service careers, addressing these issues is crucial. If the commission implements these reforms, it will boost candidates’ confidence, ensure transparency, and enhance Odisha’s competitive standing at the national level. The aspirants now await a positive response from the OPSC Chairman, hoping for much-needed changes in the system.
