VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) is likely to make certain changes in the Group 1 examination pattern. The Group 1 prelims exam may be one paper for 150 marks instead of two and 50 per cent of questions may be objective and 50 per cent descriptive in the mains. The number of papers may also be decreased from five to 4. However, the syllabus is likely to be the same with minor changes as per the proposed reforms. The descriptive answers may be evaluated in a scientific manner with one evaluator for one question of all the aspirants. The changes may come into force in a month.
The APPSC, headed by D Gautam Sawang, has proposed to change the pattern of Group 1 examinations to make the entire process more scientific, rational and realistic for the benefit of candidates. The State government had already issued GO No 1744, constituting a 10-member committee headed by B Rajasekhar, Special Chief Secretary of PR&RD Department, to study the existing structure of APPSC and regrouping all the posts into a few groups for issuance of recruitment notifications.
Meanwhile, the APPSC had also constituted a six-member committee, headed by S Salam Babu, a member of APPSC, with the coordination of another six-member committee of university professors, who participated in setting and evaluation of UPSC examinations, as part of the reforms. The committee will study all the public examination patterns across the country, including the UPSC, and submit a report.
APPSC Chairman Sawang said, “We have noticed several challenges such as human factors affecting the grading of marks from the candidates’ perspective and also the commission in the current pattern. To make the Group 1 examinations more transparent, rational and logical, we have proposed certain changes in the examination pattern.”
Salam Babu urged all the stakeholders to mail their suggestions to the APPSC by October 5, and assured that the committee will look into all the aspects to make the examination pattern more scientific, benefiting students.