How can State PSCs be reformed?, Pg10

Key Highlights:

• The 2025 national conference of chairpersons of State Public Service Commissions (PSCs) will be hosted by the Telangana State Public Service Commission on December 19 and 20.
• State PSCs often face controversies and judicial challenges during recruitment, leading to a trust deficit due to systemic lapses.
• The Montagu Chelmsford report led to the formation of the first Public Service Commission in 1926.
• The Government of India Act, 1935 mandated a PSC for each province, a provision continued in the Constitution.

Detailed Insights:

• State PSCs operate in a politically sensitive environment, often influenced by the 'spoils system' in appointments, unlike the relatively apolitical UPSC.
• Union government has a dedicated Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions established in 1985, ensuring regular vacancy declarations and efficient personnel management, which most states lack.
• UPSC periodically revises its syllabus through committees comprising academicians, civil servants, and social activists, balancing academic rigor with contemporary developments.
• State PSCs should revise their syllabus periodically, incorporating state-specific knowledge tested objectively to mitigate asymmetry of information and value-laden correction.
• An amendment should fix the minimum age for appointment as a member at 55 and the maximum age at 65, stipulating necessary qualifications such as experience as Secretary to a State government.
• The preliminary examination may continue in the objective format, the main examination should be a mixture of objective and subjective papers.
• The Secretary of the State PSCs should be a senior officer with prior experience as either Commissioner of School Education or Secretary of the Board of Intermediate education.

Key Concepts Involved:

• State Public Service Commissions (PSCs): Constitutional bodies in each state responsible for conducting recruitment examinations for state government jobs.
• Spoils System: A practice where political appointments are made based on loyalty rather than merit or qualifications.
• Inter-se Moderation: A statistical method used to adjust scores in examinations to minimize subjectivity and ensure fairness across different subjects or evaluators.