UPSC CSE Mains Marks: CIC Seeks Restoration of Paper-Wise Disclosure
The CIC has recommended restoring the publication of paper-wise marks for selected UPSC Civil Services candidates, citing transparency concerns over the practice discontinued after 2017.
The Central Information Commission (CIC) has recommended that the detailed, paper-wise marks of candidates selected through the UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination be published again. The recommendation follows an RTI case concerning the availability of marks from 2018 onwards.
Paper-wise marks of recommended candidates were publicly disclosed until the 2017 Civil Services Examination, but only aggregate scores have been available since 2018. The CIC noted that the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) could not produce a recorded policy decision, office memorandum or other file noting explaining why the earlier practice was discontinued.
The RTI applicant had sought comparative marks for General Studies papers, optional subjects and the Personality Test for examinations conducted between 2018 and 2023, along with information on performance across optional subjects.
The CIC said detailed disclosure would support transparency in the selection process and help aspirants understand performance patterns across different papers and optional subjects. It also directed the DoPT to provide the requested paper-wise marks for recommended candidates for the specified period.
The matter also highlighted differing positions from the UPSC and DoPT regarding custody of detailed marks. While UPSC reportedly said it shares the information with DoPT and the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration after final results, DoPT maintained that detailed marks are generated and maintained by UPSC.
For UPSC aspirants, this could mean finally getting more data instead of relying on endless Telegram spreadsheets and “trust me bro” analysis.
