UPSC exam row: Centre says English marks will not be included

In a relief to civil services aspirants agitating against the Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) pattern, the government has announced that the marks for questions relating to English comprehension in Paper II of the prelims exam will not be counted for gradation and merit of the candidates. However, the CSAT format shall stay and the August 24 prelims exam will be held as per schedule.

Making a statement in the Lok Sabha, minster of state for personnel Jitendra Singh also announced an extra attempt for all those who has appeared for the civil services exam in 2011, when the CSAT pattern was introduced. “Those who appeared for the exam in 2011 will get another attempt to appear in 2015,” he said.

This is to take care of the disadvantage that the students may have faced on accound of sudden switch to the new CSAT pattern.