Editor,
I wish to draw attention to the commendable work of the present Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC). The commission deserves immense appreciation for tirelessly and successfully conducting various departmental examinations on time.
As aspirants, we are truly grateful to witness this positive transformation and restored efficiency.
Recently, the commission advertised the state's most coveted exam - the APPSC Combined Competitive Examination - scheduled for 6 December. While we welcome this timely announcement, I would like to put forward a crucial request on behalf of serious aspirants who have been preparing dedicatedly for years.
We earnestly request the commission to design the preliminary examination paper on the pattern of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), incorporating analytical, statement-based questions.
In the previous examination, the standard closely resembled that of the Arunachal Pradesh Staff Selection Board (APSSB). Consequently, many serious aspirants lost out by fractions of a mark in the initial stage.
Furthermore, it later emerged that roughly 150-180 qualified candidates did not appear for the mains exam. Because the factual nature of the prelims favoured candidate profiles suited for APSSB exams, many cleared the first stage without being prepared for the descriptive demands of the mains.
The one-liner factual format gives APSSB candidates an unfair advantage in the preliminary phase. Therefore, it would be highly beneficial if the commission elevated both the general studies (GS) and CSAT papers to a true civil services standard. Additionally, the CSAT paper in the last exam contained several anomalies; I request the commission to rectify those errors and ensure a flawless, high-standard paper specifically designed for a premier civil services examination.
Elevating the APPSC prelims to a UPSC-level benchmark offers several key benefits:
Fair competition: It ensures candidates with deep conceptual clarity and analytical aptitude advance to the mains, minimising seat dropouts in later stages.
National competitiveness: A rigorous state exam better equips local aspirants to clear the UPSC Civil Services Examination.
Streamlined aspirant focus: It enables APSSB candidates to focus on their respective recruitment patterns while civil service aspirants dedicate themselves to theirs.
Superior administrative talent: With APST status now mandatory, local candidates compete directly among themselves. Setting a higher benchmark would ensure that the state selects the most capable analytical minds to serve as future officers.
The commission has already proved its capability to set high-standard papers, as demonstrated by the recent TGT history exam, which featured excellent statement-based questions. I humbly urge the commission to maintain that benchmark for the state's premier civil service examination. Such a step will safeguard the hard work of dedicated aspirants and secure exceptional future administrators for Arunachal Pradesh.
Serious aspirant
