New Delhi, Apr 2 (PTI): BJP Rajya Sabha member Brij Lal from Uttar Pradesh on Thursday demanded the abolition or rationalisation of the Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT), saying it has skewed representation in the civil services and acts as a barrier to diversity.

Raising the matter during Zero Hour in the Upper House, Lal said the Civil Services Preliminary Examination, scheduled for the 24th of next month, comprises two papers – General Studies Paper I (GS-1) and the CSAT (GS-2).

While GS-1 carries 200 marks with 100 questions and a negative marking of 0.66 per wrong answer, the CSAT also carries 200 marks with 80 questions and a negative marking of 0.833 per wrong answer, he said.

Lal pointed out that CSAT is a qualifying paper requiring a minimum of 33 per cent, or 66 marks, to clear. Candidates who fail to qualify in CSAT have their GS-1 answer sheets left unevaluated, regardless of their performance, he said.

“This has skewed representation. Up to 65 per cent of successful candidates are engineers, while humanities and arts graduates struggle with CSAT’s technical, mathematics-heavy and comprehension-based questions,” the BJP MP said.

Terming it the “biggest barrier to diversity” in civil services recruitment, Lal urged the government, through the Chairman, to either abolish the CSAT or rationalise it to ensure a level playing field for candidates from all streams — engineering, science, medicine and arts.

He also flagged the lack of transparency for candidates who fail to clear CSAT, noting that they receive neither their scores nor any feedback, while only qualifiers are informed of their marks.

“This lack of transparency must end to ensure justice and equity in civil services recruitment,” he said. PTI LUX DR DR