CIC Advises UPSC Paper-Wise Marks: Reintroduce CSE Disclosure

• The Central Information Commission (CIC) has advised the Central government to resume publishing paper-wise marks for successful Civil Services Examination candidates.
• Information Commissioner Jaya Varma Sinha noted that this practice was discontinued in 2018 without any recorded policy decision.
• The advisory, issued under Section 25(5) of the RTI Act, was directed to the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).
• The CIC stated that disclosing these marks is crucial for transparency and building faith in the constitutional body, UPSC.
• This decision followed an RTI appeal filed by Aniket Kumar Gupta, who sought data from the past 10 years.

The Commission emphasized that the publication of these detailed marks is not merely a procedural matter but is vital for fostering transparency and cultivating public trust in the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

The Central Information Commission (CIC) has recently issued a significant advisory to the Central government, urging the reinstatement of a crucial transparency measure concerning the Civil Services Examination (CSE). Specifically, the CIC advises UPSC paper-wise marks publication for candidates who successfully clear the examination. This directive, dated September 24, stems from observations made by Information Commissioner Jaya Varma Sinha, who highlighted that the practice of making subject-wise marks of successful candidates publicly available ceased in 2018 without any formal policy decision being recorded.

The advisory, directed to the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) as the respondent public authority, specifically calls for the reintroduction of detailed break-up marks obtained by recommended candidates in the Civil Services (Mains) Examination. This recommendation by the India information commission advisory body is grounded in the fact that such detailed disclosure was a standard practice prior to 2018. The CIC's intervention was prompted by an RTI appeal filed by Aniket Kumar Gupta, who had sought data spanning the previous 10 years, underscoring the public demand for greater clarity in the examination process.

The authority for this advisory is rooted in Section 25(5) of the Right to Information (RTI) Act. This particular provision grants the Central Information Commission, or a State Information Commission, the power to issue recommendations to public authorities. Such recommendations are typically made when it is determined that the practices of these authorities do not align with either the explicit provisions or the overarching spirit of the RTI Act. In this instance, the CIC's advisory under Section 25(5) of the RTI Act is a direct response to the unrecorded discontinuation of a transparency practice.

The Commission emphasized that the publication of these detailed marks is not merely a procedural matter but is vital for fostering transparency and cultivating public trust in the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). As a constitutional body responsible for conducting one of the nation's most competitive examinations, the UPSC Civil Services exam marks disclosure is seen as essential for maintaining its integrity and public confidence. The advisory implicitly suggests that the cessation of this practice, especially without a documented policy change, ran contrary to the spirit of open governance championed by the RTI Act.

This advisory from the CIC carries substantial weight, reinforcing the principle that public authorities, including constitutional bodies like the UPSC, must operate with utmost transparency. The call for CIC paper-wise marks publication directly addresses concerns about the opacity of high-stakes examination processes. By advocating for the reintroduction of detailed mark breakdowns, the Commission aims to enhance public understanding of how candidates are assessed and selected, thereby strengthening the credibility of the entire system.

The DoPT marks transparency is crucial for candidates, educators, and the general public, ensuring that the selection process is perceived as fair and unbiased. The CIC's decision serves as a significant precedent, highlighting its statutory power to intervene and guide government bodies towards greater openness, even in the absence of explicit legal violations, when their practices deviate from the *spirit* of the RTI Act. This move underscores the ongoing commitment to accountability in public administration and provides a clear signal regarding the importance of accessible information in a democratic society.

This advisory reinforces the Central Information Commission's power under Section 25(5) of the RTI Act to compel public authorities like UPSC to enhance transparency, providing a precedent for lawyers advising clients on information disclosure from government bodies or challenging non-compliance with the spirit of the RTI Act.

Source: Original reporting via news agency dispatches