Delhi Social Welfare Minister writes to UPSC, alleges discrimination in awarding marks to reserved category students
Jul 16, 2021
New Delhi [India], July 16 : Delhi Cabinet Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam on Friday wrote a letter to UPSC chairman Pradeep Kumar Joshi, raising the issue of "caste-based discrimination faced by many candidates belonging to the reserved categories in UPSC interviews".
Gautam, who is the Delhi Social Welfare Minister, said that there is systematic discrimination in awarding marks to reserved category students. It is suggested that the possibility of discrimination can be eliminated by keeping the caste of the candidate hidden.
He also suggested that the interviewer should be chosen randomly instead of clubbing reserved and general category separately.
"Through this letter I would like to invite your kind attention to a number of representations received by me from candidates of the reserved communities who appear in various job interviews conducted by the UPSC. Many of these candidates have alleged that there is a systematic discrimination in awarding the marks of interview to reserved category candidates", wrote Gautam. 
"Further, they have suggested that the possibility of this discrimination can be eliminated if the interview board members are not made aware of the caste of the candidate appearing for the interview and the interviewees are chosen randomly instead of clubbing reserved and general category candidates separately. I believe these suggestions have got merit and can easily be acted upon by the UPSC. Such action will ensure a level playing field in the interview for all candidates. I would be grateful if you can examine these suggestions favourably and apprise me about the action taken by the UPSC to prevent discrimination against reserved category candidates during the interview process," said Gautam in the letter.
This matter came to the fore when it was found through an RTI that there is a trend of giving fewer marks in the UPSC interview to reserved category candidates.
Meanwhile, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on May 13 had informed that Civil Services (Preliminary) examination 2021 has been postponed to October. The examination, which was earlier scheduled to be held on June 27, will now take place on October 10.
"Due to the prevailing conditions caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the Union Public Service Commission has deferred the Civil Services (Preliminary) examination, 2021, which was scheduled to be held on 27 June 2021," read an official release.
