The Central Information Commission (CIC) has advised the Indian government to resume the publication of paper-wise marks for candidates who successfully pass the Civil Services Examination (CSE). This recommendation aims to enhance transparency and trust in the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), a key constitutional body.
Background and Decision
Information Commissioner Jaya Varma Sinha highlighted that up until 2018, the subject-wise marks of successful candidates were publicly available. However, this practice was halted without any documented policy decision. The Commission believes that reinstating the publication of detailed marks aligns with the interests of transparency and public confidence.
In a decision dated September 24, the Commission issued an advisory under Section 25(5) of the Right to Information Act (RTI Act). This section empowers the CIC to recommend changes if a public authority’s practices are found to be inconsistent with the RTI Act’s provisions or intent. The advisory specifically urges the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) to resume publishing the detailed breakdown of marks obtained by candidates in the Civil Services (Mains) Examination.
RTI Appeal by Aniket Kumar Gupta
The CIC’s decision followed an RTI appeal filed by Aniket Kumar Gupta, who requested data from the past decade, including the marks secured by all recommended candidates across general studies papers, optional papers, and the personality test. Gupta pointed out that while detailed marks were publicly available until the 2017 CSE, this practice was stopped from 2018 onwards, with only aggregate marks being disclosed.
Arguments from UPSC and DoPT
In response, the UPSC argued that subject-wise marks constitute personal information and should not be disclosed. However, they did publish the total marks of the written examination, personality test, and final tally for recommended candidates. Meanwhile, the DoPT expressed concerns that detailed disclosure could lead coaching institutes to exploit aspirants by promoting certain subjects as ‘high scoring.’
More Read
Despite these arguments, during the proceedings, the DoPT admitted an inability to locate any official documentation that justified the cessation of publishing detailed marks.
Contradictory Positions Noted
The CIC observed inconsistencies in the positions held by UPSC and DoPT regarding the custody of marks. While the DoPT claimed that the detailed marks were maintained solely by UPSC, the UPSC stated that this information was shared with DoPT and the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) post-result declaration.
Directives and Conclusion
Ultimately, the CIC directed the DoPT to furnish the detailed marks for CSEs conducted from 2018 to 2023 to Gupta within three weeks of receiving the order. Additionally, the advisory issued under Section 25(5) of the RTI Act underscores the need for transparency in the examination process.
More Read
For further details, the complete order can be accessed [here].
