BENGALURU: To encourage merit and reduce scope for any manipulation during interviews, the State Government is reducing the number of marks awarded to candidates during interviews for Group A and B posts to just 5 per cent of the total marks. It has also made it mandatory for the candidates to take the 150 marks Kannada test to get the job.
As per the draft of the Karnataka Civil Services (Direct Recruitment) (General) Rules 2020 published on Tuesday inviting objections, if any, “The marks secured by the candidates in written examination or the qualifying examination shall not be published or made known to the members conducting the interview. They shall be kept strictly confidential.”
Sources said maximum marks for interview have been reduced significantly to ensure that meritorious candidates, who do well in written examinations, will get the jobs.As per the draft rules, each candidate will undergo an interview for a duration of 25 to 30 minutes and only a maximum of nine candidates shall be called per day. Every week the members of the interview board shall be changed by the Chairman of the Selection Authority, the draft rules state. If the marks given are more than 80 per cent or less than 40 per cent of the maximum marks of interview, then the interview board member has to record reasons for it.
The draft makes it clear that the Kannada language test is a must to get the job. The Kannada test will comprise one paper carrying a maximum of 150 marks. A candidate must secure a minimum of 50 marks to qualify. Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Madhuswamy said the Kannada language test was mandatory earlier too. But now they have made certain changes in interviews, including reducing the number of candidates called for interview from five candidates for each vacancy to three.