Since the days of Robert Burns in the 18th century, best laid schemes of mice and men have often gone awry. There is a minor interruption to the series on media regulation that we have been carrying in this column. It will resume next week. This past week, our office was nearly snowed under with calls and mails regarding the plan to reduce the age limit for the civil services examination. The episode warrants a detailed clarification. The queries revealed many things: that The Hindu is the most preferred newspaper of civil services aspirants, that the government has not fully thought through the process of effecting a change in its examination pattern without prejudicing the interests of the candidates who are in the borderline age group, and that there are limits to a responsible media house in addressing the anxiety of young professionals who are civil service aspirants.
While one can empathise with the aspirants, some of their suggestions relating to the coverage of the issue are not feasible and would undermine the role of the newspaper as a credible information provider. Many felt that the newspaper should have withheld this news item till the mains examination on December 20, 2014, as it had added to stress among those who were preparing for the examination. I feel it is quite the opposite. The report actually alerts the candidates in the borderline age group to be prepared for a new entrance examination regime, and to give it their best shot in this attempt, possibly their last strike to make it to the all-India services.
One of the repeated questions we received was this: what is the source of this story?
The answer is in the report, “Centre to lower age limit for civil service aspirants” (November 18, 2014), itself. The report attributes every detail to the official website of the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances. It also categorically states that these measures were based on the recommendations of the Second Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) and that it was almost entirely accepted by the government.
No contradictionThe government has not contradicted the story. A report from New Delhi that was carried on the same day reads: “Even as the Second Administrative Reforms Commission report recommending reduction in the permissible age for appearing in the Civil Services Examination and the government’s stand on the issue have been in the public domain for the past few months, the Department of Personnel and Training is yet to issue any notification implementing it. But a senior government official said: ‘The very fact that the government’s decision has been mentioned in the report does not at all mean that it has been implemented. This can only be construed as indication of the government’s intention. It can be implemented only by fulfilling mandatory administrative requirements.’”
Later, the government issued a clarification, which was published the next day. Accordingly, no change has been made in the age limit/attempts for the civil services examination, 2014. The official statement, which does not talk about the future limits on either age or number of attempts, merely said: “The Group of Ministers (GoM) at its meeting held on December 16, 2013, while accepting the age of entry in the CSE to be 21, discussed the upper age limit and decided to go by the recommendations of the Core Group on Administrative Reforms, which is 26 years for the unreserved category, 28 for OBC and 29 years for SC/ST, and two years additional for physically challenged candidates in each category. The GoM further decided to reiterate its earlier decision regarding number of attempts, i.e. three for unreserved candidates, five for OBCs, six for SC/ST candidates with additional two attempts for physically challenged candidates in each category. The above mentioned decisions were noted for record and further necessary action. However, before any action in this regard could be taken, the government further took a decision on February 7, 2014, to allow two additional attempts to all categories of candidates with effect from CSE 2014, with consequential relaxation of maximum age for all categories of candidates, if required.”
Facts reported as suchThe newspaper can only report two things: what the government intends to do and the basis for that intention, and what its decisions are for the current year. If it remains equivocal about some decisions, then the newspaper has no other option but to report on the current status, which may not address the future trajectory. While one recognises the level of anxiety and stress among the civil services aspirants, only the government can decide the final outcome of the recommendations of the Second ARC, where it may accept the recommendation in full or in parts.
There were some queries regarding another recommendation of the commission as well as by the investment bank, Goldman Sachs: shifting to a merit-based system rather than the present seniority-based one. The newspaper has the wherewithal to only confirm that both the reports do suggest a merit-based approach. I am sure readers will appreciate the conscious restraint of this newspaper not to speculate on this crucial subject that forms the steel frame of the Indian governance structure.
readerseditor@thehindu.co.in
