This marks a sharp decline from the 15-23 questions featured in previous years.
Reduction in Punjabi Questions Triggers PCS Aspirants’ Protest in Patiala
PCS aspirants staged a protest outside the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) office in Patiala against what organisers alleged was an unjust reduction in Punjabi language questions in the recent Punjab Civil Services (PCS) preliminary examination held on December 7 under Advertisement No. 20251, according to members of Misl Satluj.
Misl Satluj functionary Yadwinder Singh Yadu criticised the new examination pattern. He stated that this year’s test included only eight Punjabi questions in the Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) paper. This marks a sharp decline from the 15-23 questions featured in previous years. He said the excessive reduction of Punjabi content amounted to direct injustice to students from rural areas and Punjabi-medium backgrounds.
Yadu also pointed out that the shift towards a mathematics-centric CSAT paper disadvantages candidates without a strong mathematics background and claimed it favours aspirants from outside Punjab or those with non-Punjabi educational backgrounds, potentially undermining fair representation in state government services.
Misl Satluj general secretary Davinder Singh Sekhon said that out of 80 questions in the CSAT paper, 40 per cent, equivalent to 32 questions, were qualifying in nature. However, he pointed out that the reduction in Punjabi questions could lead to the elimination of many local aspirants at the preliminary stage itself.
Sekhon further said that rural students and candidates from humanities or non-mathematics streams stand to lose the most, while those stronger in mathematics or unfamiliar with Punjabi may gain an unintended advantage under the revised pattern. The change has raised concerns among protesting aspirants from Punjabi-medium and rural backgrounds.
Meanwhile, attempts to seek a response from PPSC secretary Charanjit Singh on the protesters’ concerns were unsuccessful.
Source: Times of India
