Dimapur, Sep. 8 (EMN): The Public Service Aspirants of Nagaland (PSAN) has accused members of Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC) of indulging in ‘overwhelming manipulation and malpractice’ during viva-voce phase of the state’s annual competitive examination.
In a press statement issued today, the PSAN stated that “RTI replies” had shown cases of ‘many candidates scoring less than their fellow candidates in mains exams being unethically awarded generous marks and thereby, securing better posts while those who scored better marks in mains exam were whitewashed off (sic) their NCS and NPS dreams by NPSC interview board members by awarding unreasonably low marks.’
“There were miles of differences in awarding marks to the candidates. While some candidates scored as high as 74.12 out of 75, some scored as low as 29 out of the same total mark. In particular, the candidate who scored 5th highest mark in mains exam (404) was awarded only 32 marks out of 75, thereby denying him of his deserving NCS/NPS post.
“There were also discrepancies in the 2015 NPSC (non-technical) examination result. Some general category candidates whose mark was lower than BT candidates still managed for selection while others, in spite of their mark lower than grade-II posts got selected in grade-I post,” it informed.
As such, the PSAN has placed the following demands:
- Minimize the viva marks from the current 75 to 50.
- Set minimum and maximum benchmarks of awarding marks to candidates in viva-voce.
- Appoint retired IAS and NCS officials or professors as NPSC members.
- Immediately stop rampant appointment of politicians and bureaucrats as NPSC members.
- Declaration of marks for both mains and viva on the day of final result declaration, in line with UPSC.
- The mains marks should be kept out of NPSC members' knowledge so as to ward off any chance of manipulation by the NPSC members.
“The PSAN has also taken seriously note of the practice of "favouritism" by NPSC members. It may be mentioned that the average marks of candidates who belong to the same tribe as that of NPSC members are much higher than of those whose tribes are not NPSC members. Further, on an average, the candidates who scored above 70 (out of 75) were also much higher among candidates who have their people from their tribe as NPSC members.
“The PSAN would like to remind that NPSC is not a private firm and that the viva-voce was supposed to be a "personality test" and not "whitewash brush" for the NPSC members. The NPSC members should resign on moral grounds if he/she does not adhere to interview norms or is unworthy of sitting in the chair,” it stated.
