UPSC mains marks disclosure row reaches CIC as RTI applicant, DoPT raise coaching concerns

New Delhi: A dispute over disclosure of marks of UPSC Mains has led to an unusual convergence before the Central Information Commission (CIC), with both an RTI applicant and the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) arguing that coaching institutes could misuse the information ecosystem around optional subjects. Hearing an RTI appeal seeking disclosure of paper-wise marks of recommended candidates in the Civil Services Examination (CSE) after 2017, the CIC recorded the appellant's submission that "the main problem that this lack of transparency creates is that it provides various coaching institutes a sizeable opportunity to exploit potential aspirants".

The appellant further argued that "several coaching centres resort to false, exaggerated and unverifiable advertisements misleading students into believing that candidates taught by them have secured the highest scores in particular optional subjects". According to the order, the appellant said aspirants were often "persuaded into opting an orthodox 'market-accepted optional paper' primarily due to promotion by the coaching to sell its courses rather than on basis of verified performance trends".

At the same hearing, the DoPT raised a contrasting concern that disclosure of detailed subject-wise marks could itself be commercially exploited by coaching centres. The CIC order noted that the CPIO, DoPT, submitted that there was "an apprehension that disclosure of detailed data pertaining to bifurcation of marks obtained by recommended candidates, particularly subject-wise performance and choice of optional subject in Civil Services Examination, may lead to misuse by coaching institutes which may selectively project certain optional subjects as 'high scoring' in advertisements and thereby create misleading perceptions among aspirants."

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The matter relates to an RTI application filed by Aniket Kumar Gupta seeking a detailed 10-year breakup of marks obtained by recommended candidates in General Studies papers, optional subjects and personality tests in the Civil Services Examination. The appellant argued that till CSE-2017, UPSC publicly disclosed paper-wise marks of recommended candidates, but from 2018 onwards only aggregate marks were published, which "substantially reduced transparency". The DoPT defended discontinuation of publication of subject-wise marks, saying such detailed marks were considered "information of a personal and in-personam nature relating to individual candidates".

The CIC, however, observed that the "basis for discontinuation of the practice has not been satisfactorily clarified" and noted that no supporting circulars, policy decisions or file notings had been produced before it. Information Commissioner Anandi Ramalingam directed the DoPT to furnish comprehensive written submissions, supported by records, explaining the reasons for discontinuing publication of breakup of mains marks and "why the commission shall not recommend reinstating the practice of publication of bifurcation of recommended candidates' marks in the Civil Services Examinations".