Prayagraj: Students preparing for competitive examinations for administrative jobs are expected to first understand the process. Expressing their views on normalisation in the PCS and RO/ARO preliminary examination being conducted by the UP-Public Service Commission (UPPSC) and regarding statements given by the agitating students about the examination process, Educationists and subject experts said students should first obtain information about the actual status of the normalisation process. On the other hand, students preparing for competitive examinations termed this protest a ploy of political parties.
"The system being implemented in several states and the protest are beyond comprehension,," said Prof Yogeshwar Tiwari, former teacher of Allahabad University. He added, "Students preparing for administrative services examinations should reflect on their behaviour before taking to the streets and creating chaos."
Educationist and counsellor Apoorva Bhargava said it was not fair of the agitating students to oppose normalisation process on the basis that asking simple and difficult questions in different sections under that subject would not benefit everyone equally. "There has always been a need for qualitative improvement in administrative services exams, so that eligible candidates could secure their place. The process of normalisation is also an attempt to bring qualitative improvement in the exam. The system is already being implemented in many states, and on this basis, the opposition to its implementation is beyond understanding," said Bhargava.
Apart from educationists and experts, those running private educational institutions too believe students should understand the process of normalisation. Students preparing for competitive examinations are also saying the protest is a pre-planned strategy of some political partie. Administrative services aspirant from Ballia, Anuj Singh, says a members of a political party jumped into the crowd of students with a political motive and the video had gone viral. Devendra Pratap, preparing for competitive examinations, said political parties were always on the lookout to use public gatherings wherever they it suited their political benefit. The same effort had been made here as well.
Meanwhile, UPPSC secretary, Ashok Kumar, said govt had made changes in rules related to the exam only for the convenience and to meet demand of students. When students protested in front of the commission and demanded private schools and colleges not be made exam centres and distance between examination centres not be too much, govt and aided colleges were appointed centres and 10 km distance had been maintained. They also said normalisation was done in most exams. "The commission has taken opinion of experts on the formula. There is no scope for any kind of discrimination in this," said Kumar.