(News) Recommendations of the High Level Committee appointed by the Union Public Service Commission

No request was received from the Union Public Service
Commission (UPSC) regarding delinking of schedule languages from its scheme of
examination. However, Department of Personnel & Training (DOPT) had forwarded to
this Ministry for comments, the recommendations of the High Level Standing
Committee which had been appointed by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
in July, 2009 to examine the modalities for implementing the recommendations of
the Parliamentary Resolution of 1968. According to the Resolution, languages
included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution and English shall be
permitted as alternative media for the All India and higher Central Services
examination after ascertaining the views of Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
on the future scheme of the examinations, the procedural aspects and the timing
etc.

The recommendations of the said Committee are enclosed in Annexure. The
Ministry of Home Affairs had agreed with the recommendations.

Recommendations of the High Level Committee appointed by the Union Public
Service Commission

1. The language adopted by the UPSC for conducting its examination should
   be based on their growth in the higher educational system and the inclusion
   of a language in the Eighth Schedule should not be the only basis for its
   adoption by the UPSC in its All India and Higher Central Services
   Examinations.
2. All candidates should have the option to write Civil Services
   Examination either in Hindi or English.
3. The candidates in the Civil Services Examination should be allowed to
   write their papers (other than the Indian Language and English Compulsory
   Papers) in any of the languages included in the Eighth Schedule to the
   Constitution provided the candidate has had her/his graduation in that
   particular language medium of examination.
4. In the interest of maintaining the equality and standards of examination
   conducted by UPSC, a minimum number of 25 (twenty five) candidates will be
   required for conducting examination in any one language.
5. Considering the dynamics of growth of languages in the higher education
   system, UPSC may review the above policy after a gap of three years.

This was stated by Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs Shri RPN
Singh in Lok Sabha today.

Courtesy: PIB