Editor,

I would like to draw the attention of the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) to a serious issue faced by candidates in the recently conducted TGT geography examination.

Unlike Paper-I (general paper) and the papers concerned of other subjects, where the negative marking scheme was clearly mentioned in the question booklet, the geography paper did not mention negative marking anywhere. Instead, it even contained an instruction meant for a written examination, creating unnecessary confusion. Naturally, many candidates believed that there was no negative marking and attempted questions accordingly.

During the examination, our centre supervisor contacted the commission to seek clarification. The response was simply that “candidates should know” because it had been mentioned in the recruitment advertisement. Such a response is disappointing. Candidates are expected to follow the instructions printed on the question paper they receive during the examination, not rely on memory of an advertisement issued months earlier.

If the negative marking scheme was clearly printed in Paper-I and in the papers concerned of other subjects, there was no reason for it to be omitted only from the geography paper. This inconsistency directly affected candidates’ examination strategy and may have influenced their final scores.

It is unfortunate that when candidates make even a small mistake, they are expected to bear the consequences, but when the commission itself commits an error, candidates are simply told that they “should know.” A fair examination system requires the commission to acknowledge its own mistakes and address them instead of shifting the burden onto candidates.

We sincerely request the APPSC to examine this matter fairly, issue an appropriate clarification, and take suitable corrective measures in the interest of justice. We also urge the commission to ensure that all essential instructions, especially the marking scheme, are clearly printed in every question booklet in future examinations.

A concerned APPSC TGT

geography candidate