Amid ongoing controversies and protests over paper leaks and delays in public examinations and recruitments, the Central Government is exploring the possibility of introducing a common examination for Group B (non-gazetted) and Group C government posts requiring similar educational qualifications.

Currently, multiple bodies such as the Staff Selection Commission (SSC), Railway Recruitment Board (RRB), and Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) conduct a series of exams throughout the year. According to government sources, there is now a push to streamline these examinations through a coordinated recruitment process for posts with similar qualifications across these agencies. Most of these positions require candidates to have cleared Class 10, Class 12 or hold a graduate degree.

This recommendation was made by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) in June this year and is awaiting discussion by the Cabinet Secretariat and the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

“At present, several bodies conduct exams for posts that essentially have the same educational criteria, resulting in a large number of candidates applying for multiple exams throughout the year,” an official familiar with the matter stated. “If there is one exam, candidates can be assigned posts across departments based on their rank in that single exam,” the official added.

For the government, having the same candidates appear for multiple exams leads to a massive number of applicants for each post, thereby increasing the time required for processing and recruitment. On average, around four crore candidates apply for SSC exams annually, while 60 lakh apply for IBPS exams and nearly 1.4 crore for RRB tests.

However, it remains unclear whether this merger will occur at the preliminary exam level or extend to the mains as well. “This is only in the discussion stage. The modalities will be decided if and when it is accepted. Right now, the focus is on coordinating recruitment across agencies,” the official noted.

In addition to this, the DoPT is also considering merging certain civil services to enhance efficiency within the system. Discussions are ongoing about merging smaller services like the Indian Audit and Accounts Service (IAAS), Indian Civil Accounts Service (ICAS), Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS), and Indian Defence Estate Service (IDES).

The DoPT has also suggested a review of the Civil Service Exam (CSE), including the possibility of removing the optional exam, which was recommended by the Baswan Committee in 2017. Competency-based promotions and updates to conduct rules for government employees, particularly concerning social media, are also being considered.

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