Major relief for PCS aspirants: CSAT paper to be qualifying in nature, says chairman

The Indian Express had earlier reported that PCS candidates in Punjab had long been demanding that the CSAT paper be made qualifying in nature, especially in view of the impending notification for the PCS examination.

The PCS preliminary examination comprises two sections: General Studies and CSAT. While the General Studies paper determines merit, the CSAT is designed to test candidates’ aptitude, analytical skills, logical reasoning, and comprehension abilities.

Speaking at the Commission’s office, Aulakh explained that merit in the preliminary examination will now be based solely on the General Studies paper. The CSAT paper will serve only as a qualifying paper, requiring candidates to achieve a minimum of 33 per cent marks to pass.

‘Greater emphasis on topics related to Punjab’s history, culture’

Additionally, Aulakh highlighted that PPSC will place greater emphasis on topics related to Punjab’s history, geography, culture, and economy in the General Studies Paper-1 of the PCS Main Examination. He expressed confidence that this reform would provide relief to candidates, particularly those from rural and underprivileged backgrounds, ensuring a fairer competition.

PPSC Secretary Charanjit Singh and Secretary (Examinations) Vyom Bhardwaj were present during the announcement.

The CSAT was first introduced in the PCS preliminary stage alongside General Studies after the UPSC incorporated it into the civil services examination in 2011. The UPSC made it a qualifying paper in 2015 following demands from students, particularly those from humanities backgrounds. However, Punjab had not implemented the change until now.

In 2016, the PPSC had written to the Punjab government seeking to make the CSAT a qualifying paper, ensuring its marks would not be added to the candidates’ preliminary stage scores. Under the revised system, candidates need to secure a minimum of 33 per cent in the CSAT to qualify, aligning Punjab with states such as Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Bihar, which have already adopted this format.

Student groups have criticised the inclusion of CSAT marks in the final merit list, arguing it disadvantages poor and rural candidates proficient in Punjabi or Hindi. They have also alleged that vested interests, including coaching centres, are lobbying against this reform, fearing a decline in their profits if merit becomes the sole criterion.