Central Information Commission Recommends Disclosure of Paper-Wise Marks In UPSC Mains
The observation comes after Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) failed to produce any formal record explaining the discontinuation of the practice from 2018 onwards
NEW DELHI: The Central Information Commission (CIC) has recommended restoration of the practice of publishing the detailed, paper-wise marks of candidates recommended in the Civil Services (Main) Examination.
The move came after the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) failed to produce any formal official record explaining the discontinuation of the practice from 2018 onwards.
A PTI report said the issue stemmed from a Right to Information (RTI) plea seeking comparative data on the marks secured by recommended candidates in individual General Studies papers, optional subject papers, and the Personality Test over a 10-year period up to 2023.
The applicant also sought information regarding the performance of different optional subjects in terms of marks.
The RTI plea sought year-wise comparative data to understand how candidates performed across different GS and optional papers.
The applicant stated that paper-wise marks of recommended candidates were publicly disclosed until the Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2017, while only aggregate marks were made available from CSE 2018 onwards.
The RTI plea argued that the absence of paper-wise data made it difficult for aspirants to assess performance trends across different optional subjects.
According to a PTI report, the commission noted that the DoPT had failed to produce any file noting, office memorandum, policy decision or other official record substantiating the discontinuation of publication of detailed marks from 2018 onwards, despite being given an opportunity to do so.
The CIC observed that detailed marks should be disclosed in the interest of transparency and fairness in the selection process.
The CIC said that publishing marks obtained in optional subjects could help aspirants make informed decisions and reduce their dependence on unreliable sources for information about performance trends across subjects.
The CIC directed the DoPT to provide the RTI applicant with the detailed marks of recommended candidates in each General Studies paper, optional subject paper, and the Personality Test for CSE 2018 to 2023.
It also issued an advisory under Section 25(5) of the RTI Act, recommending the reinstatement of the earlier practice.
These developments also brought out differing positions of the UPSC and DoPT regarding the custody of detailed marks.
The UPSC informed the CIC that after declaration of the final result, the detailed break-up of marks is forwarded to the DoPT and the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA). It maintained that subject-wise marks are treated as personal information and are therefore not disclosed publicly, except to the government/DoPT.
However, the DoPT said that the detailed marks are generated and maintained by the UPSC.