The second Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC), in its 2008 report has suggested a number of radical changes for revamping the Civil Services Examination system.
ARC, headed by Congress leader M Veerappa Moily, has suggested bringing a new civil services law with provisions of performance-based continuation of service, accountability and new system of promotion and cadre allotment. The 377-page report also talks about mandatory training at different stages of a civil servant's career.
Moily, while releasing the report, said: "Every government servant should undergo mandatory training at the induction stage and also periodically during his or her career. Successful completion of these trainings should be a minimum necessary condition for confirmation in service and subsequent promotions.'' The objective of mid-career training should be to develop domain knowledge and competence required for the changing job profile of the officer, he said.
ARC, which has so far brought out nine reports on different subjects including public order, human resources and right to information, also recommends a new appraisal system for bureaucrats which, it said, should not only be transparent but also based on modern management techniques.
"The government should expand the scope of the present performance appraisal system of its employees to a comprehensive performance management system (PMS), it said." The report said the annual performance agreements should be signed between the department minister and the secretary of the ministry or heads of departments.
Major recommendations for Civil Services Examination aspirants
--> Permissible age for appearing in the Civil Services Examination should be 21 to 25 years for general candidates, 21 to 28 years for OBCs and 21 to 29 for SC/STs and physically challenged as against existing upper age limit of 30 for general, 33 for OBCs and 35 for SC/STs.
--> Number of permissible attempts should be 3, 5, 6 and 6 for general, OBC, SC/ST and physically challenged as against existing 4, 7 and unlimited (subject to age limit) for general, OBC and SC/ST respectively.
--> Present cut-off date for determining eligibility in terms of age (August 1 in the year of exam) may continue.
--> Number of short-listed candidates after preliminary exam should be two to three times of the number of vacancies.
--> Preliminary Examination - Only one or two general studies papers (including Constitution of India, Indian legal system, Indian economy, polity, history and culture). There should be no optional subject — as is the current practice.
--> Main Examination — Only compulsory subjects (2 papers) and essay (one paper); no optional subject. Currently, aspirants have to appear in two optional subjects — two papers each — besides essay and general studies.
--> DoPT should finalise the syllabi of compulsory subjects for both the preliminary and main examination for the recruitment cycle of 2010.
--> Compulsory induction of officers of State Civil Services into IAS.
--> Compulsory cadre allocation for north-eastern states.
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