UPSC asked to submit civil services exam'formula'in sealed cover

New Delhi, Mar 20 (UNI) The Delhi High Court today asked the Union Public Service Commission(UPSC) to submit the 'scaling criteria' it was adopting for screening the candidates in the preliminary examination for the civil services in a sealed cover for examination.

Justice B D Ahmed asked the UPSC to submit its contention in a sealed cover by March 28, the next date of hearing.

The UPSC Counsel submitted that the Commission was adopting a scaling system, which could not be revealed to the students.

''Revealing of the marks would infringe intellectual property right of the commission. The coaching institutes might decipher short-cut methods to the advantage of its students,'' said the UPSC.

Many meritorious students might be at disadvantage if the marks, cut-off points and the scaling sytem were revealed.

The information sought by about 2,500 IAS aspirants like cut-off marks, individual scores scaling criteria and model answers were top secret and disclosure of such "crucial" documents would lead to violation of intellectual property, said the counsel.

Justice Ahmed questioned the UPSC Counsel, ''What is wrong in providing marks?'' Senior Counsel Prashant Bhushan appearing for a group of students contended that it was the fundamental right of the applicant to know the marks and cut-off point of the examination.

Institutions and agencies all over the world had been providing marks to the candidates, whereas the UPSC was secretive, Mr Bhushan said.

The UPSC had filed a petition in the High Court challenging Central Information Commission(CIC)'s November 13, 2006 order to disclose within two weeks the marks of the candidates.

UNI