Fake certificates, CSAT criteria, facial ID: Key highlights from UPSC's first virtual town hall

In a first, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) chairman Ajay Kumar held a virtual town hall for civil services aspirants on October 1. The chairman addressed several key issues, including the implications of using fake certificates, the qualifying criteria for the CSAT, the introduction of facial authentication at exam centres, and whether coaching is necessary for UPSC aspirants.

UPSC has implemented face authorisation at the entry of the examination centre, and moving forward, the commission is planning to start taking certificates of candidates through DigiLocker to maintain their authenticity.

He said that cheating and the use of fake certificates in any government job recruitment examination by the candidates is "unacceptable" and can cause long-term career damage to them.

Kumar asked candidates to avoid "going that path", which may attract the strictest action, including debarment from appearing in any exam conducted by UPSC for three years.

UPSC's zero-tolerance policy for cheating

"For UPSC, cheating is not at all acceptable. We have a zero-tolerance policy on this. And if anything like this happens, we take, and we will take strict action. "We do not want children to start their careers to serve the country through cheating." Kumar requested everyone not to cheat because it can cause long-term career damage.

Kumar said any kind of cheating, "whether you get caught cheating in an exam or you fake anything or provide a certificate or manipulate your date of birth... the strictest action will be taken under the rules and regulations". He said the commission suspends such candidates for at least three years, and they cannot appear for any UPSC examinations.

Aadhaar in application to prevent impersonation

UPSC has integrated Aadhaar in the application process to prevent impersonation. "If cheating occurs, a criminal FIR is filed and criminal action is taken against the perpetrator. And, you see, that action is being taken against Puja Khedkar . So, first of all, I would like to say that if anyone does such a thing, strictest action will be taken against them as per rules," the UPSC chief said.

During an hour-long interaction, the UPSC chief talked on various subjects, including the utility of coaching centres in qualifying the civil services examination and the use of fake certificates by former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) probationer Puja Khedkar.

Last year, the centre discharged Khedkar from IAS for wrongly availing of Other Backwards Classes (OBC) and disability reservation to ensure her selection.

Coaching isn't necessary, says chairman

He also discussed in detail the utility of coaching to prepare for recruitment examinations. "This coaching issue is a huge issue. First of all, I would like to say that coaching is not mandatory for success in UPSC (exams).

"Its syllabus is such that if you study on your own, then you can clear UPSC (exams). Coaching is not an issue related only to the UPSC. We are seeing it happening in all the competitions, in JEE, NEET etc. This is a larger issue for us because it shows a deficiency in our education system," Kumar said.

Kumar said every year, several students succeed in the UPSC exams without coaching.

"Take their example. So, coaching isn't necessary. I believe. I believe self-study is the best study. I've always believed in that," he added.

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No proposal for cut-off date for eligibility

Kumar stated that there is no proposal to change the cut-off date for determining age eligibility or to change the number of attempts allowed for various recruitment examinations.

"There are many views about the number of attempts. Some say it should be increased. Some say it should be reduced... We don't have any proposal in front of us, nor do we have any such thoughts," he said.

CSAT's only requirement is 33% score

On the issue of the Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) paper, part of the civil services preliminary exam, he said it is only a qualifying paper and its marks do not count towards merit. "So the marks you get in this are just to qualify, and how many marks are needed to qualify? The only requirement is a 33% score," the UPSC chief said.

Kumar cited the example of Mumbai's 'Dabbawalas' to explain the meticulous working of the Commission. He said aspirants from almost every district apply for the civil services examination.

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Over 12 lakh candidates apply for the examination, which is conducted 22 constitutional languages and English and there are 48 optional subjects for aspirants to write papers. "There are over 2,500 centres across the country, and each candidate has assigned their option. Getting the question paper of the subject of their choice... is a complex maze.

"In comparison, I would say (it is like) the Dabbawalas of Mumbai, as you might have heard, where each person gets their own tiffin. They don't get somebody else's. Similarly, every one of our students gets his or her own paper (as opted by him/her). Despite all this diversity," Kumar said.

Do exam favours those coming from an engineering background?

He also revealed "a UPSC secret" — that many engineering students who are clearing the exam are actually choosing humanities subjects. In fact, most of the engineers qualifying for the civil services are doing so with non-engineering optional subjects, he explained, addressing concerns that the exam tends to favour candidates from engineering backgrounds. W ith inputs from PTI