PCS ASPIRANT GETS 0 IN 7 QUESTIONS, MOVES UPSC
HALDWANI: Deepak Kumar Joshi, who appeared for the Uttarakhand Provincial Civil Services (PCS) Examination 2012 and missed the cut off by 16 marks in the results announced in July 2017, has urged the Uttarakhand Public Service Commission to re-evaluate his answer sheet.
Joshi, who scored 878 out of 1700 marks in the examination, on the basis of a copy of his answersheet, obtained through an RTI, claims that he had been given zero in seven subjective questions despite “correct answers” and deprived of his dream to become a transport tax officer (TTO).
“Had I got some marks in these questions, I would have cleared the PCS exam,” said Deepak, who is also collecting material to file a writ in the Uttarakhand high court over his claim.
Deepak did his schooling from Nachni in Pithoragarh district and gave the PCS examination in Hindi medium.
It was his maiden attempt to crack the examination.
Deepak claims that he has shown the copy of his answersheet to many professors in Uttarakhand and Delhi and they said that his answers deserved marks. He cites a question which asks the values required in a public servant.
Deepak’s answer gives the qualities as truth, honesty, integrity, non-partisanship, empathy, compassion, dedication, probity and objectivity.
He has got zero for the answer. The Gazette of India cites the qualities as integrity, impartiality, non-partisanship, objectivity, dedication to public services, empathy, tolerance and compassion towards weaker sections.
Deepak himself points out that there is no provision for the re-evaluation of answersheets in the Uttarakhand Public Services Commission, but the Himachal Pradesh Service Commission has a precedent, in which the court had ordered the commission to re-evaluate answersheets, as the questions were subjective.
Harbir Singh, a PCS officer and Nainital ADM, said the applicant can go to the court over the matter. “It is up to the court to decide on his case,” he said, adding that the evaluation of answersheets is done in a very objective manner and mistakes, if any, can be pointed out.
Professor Kavidayal of the Kumaon University said that marking of the subjective questions can be different, as it is based on interpretation. “One can get zero marks too on subjective questions, as it is based upon interpretation unlike the objective questions,” he said.
The professor, however, added that the applicant can approach the court, which can set up a panel of experts to look into the matter.
“It has not happened in relation to the examination of the PCS, but the answersheets of the Kumaon University have been re-evaluated in the past,” he said.