The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has agreed to publish provisional answer keys immediately after the civil services preliminary examination and allow candidates to file objections before results are finalised, a significant policy shift after years of resistance.
In an affidavit filed before a Supreme Court bench led by justice PS Narasimha, the Commission said it had undertaken a "comprehensive deliberation" and taken a "conscious and well-considered decision" to enhance transparency.
The policy shift addresses years of grievances from civil services aspirants who argued they had no way to challenge mistakes in preliminary exams that determine whether they advance in the selection process. With over 500,000 candidates appearing for the preliminary test annually and only about 12,000-15,000 qualifying for the next stage, the move toward transparency could reshape how India's future bureaucrats are selected.
The court is hearing petitions seeking immediate disclosure instead of the current practice of releasing them only after the entire examination cycle concludes.
The Commission will invite representations and objections from examinees, which must be supported by at least three authoritative sources. These objections, along with the provisional keys, will be referred to a panel of subject experts who will review and finalise them. Prelims results will be based on this finalised set, while the ultimate answer key will continue to be published after final results are declared.
"The decision taken by the UPSC is considered to be an effective and adequate redressal of the grievances raised in the petition and to enhance the level of transparency in the functioning of the UPSC," the affidavit stated.
With the matter being sub-judice before the Supreme Court, the Commission said it considered it appropriate to place the decision before the court and has sought disposal of the petitions in light of its new decision, which it said balances fairness, transparency and practicality. The matter is expected to come up on October 14.
The policy follows sustained judicial scrutiny and recommendations by senior advocate Jaideep Gupta, appointed as amicus curiae to assist the court. Gupta, assisted by advocate Pranjal Kishore, had suggested the provisional answer key be published a day after the exam, with candidates allowed a week to file objections. He cited past Supreme Court rulings recognising limited judicial interventions in cases of demonstrable mistakes in evaluation.
The shift is particularly striking given UPSC's position in May, when it opposed the idea as "counter-productive" and warned it could delay the examination process.
The petitions, led by civil service aspirants and filed by advocate Rajeev Kumar Dubey, have emphasised that almost every state public service commission, along with institutions such as the IITs and IIMs, discloses answer keys and cut-offs promptly after examinations. The petitioners argued that disclosure was not only in the interest of candidates but also of the larger public, since civil services shape the administrative backbone of the country and the selection process must be above reproach.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for some aspirants earlier this year, told the bench that UPSC's opacity frustrated candidates' right to effective remedies.
Daksh Sharma, a UPSC aspirant in Delhi, welcomed the move. "UPSC's Preliminary Exam is primarily an elimination stage... Currently, the provisional answer key is released about two months after Prelims, leaving students uncertain whether to focus on Mains or start preparing for next year's Prelims. An earlier release would help candidates plan effectively," he said.
In 2024, 583,213 candidates appeared for the prelims out of 992,599 applicants. Of these, 14,627 qualified for the mains, 2,845 advanced to the personality test, and the Commission ultimately recommended 1,009 candidates -- 725 men and 284 women -- for appointment to various services.