Huge decline in non-English candidates in UPSC exam

Due to the changes made in the basic structure of UPSC Syllabus, first in 2011 and then in 2013 have immensely affected the number of non-English medium candidates appearing in the civil services examinations.

As per the data, the number of non-English medium candidates in the examinations was 5, 082 in 2008, 4, 839 in 2009, 4, 156 in 2010 and 1, 682 in 2011. On the other side, the number of English-medium candidates have sharply increased during the same period. According to the statistics, it was 50.7% in 2008, 54.50% in 2009, 62.23% in 2010 and 82.93% in 2011. Similarly, while 5,082 candidates wrote in Hindi in 2008, these figures came down to 1,682 in 2011. On the same track, 14 wrote in Kannada, 98 in Tamil and 117 in Telugu in the year 2008 and these numbers also came down to 5, 14 and 29 respectively in 2011.

Sharad Yadav, Madhepura MP and JD(U) national president has requested Prime Minister of the country, Manmohan Singh stating to ensure the provision of more attempts to such candidates in the examinations consider even giving relaxation in age limit.

Yadav says "not only the number of non-English medium candidates underwent steep fall but candidates writing in other languages have also fallen. We wanted to bring an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha but could not due to regular disturbance of the house proceeding in the current session."

The UPSC pleaded that minor changes have been made in the curriculum, but Yadav challenged it and claimed that 67% changes have been affected as compared to 2010 curriculum, causing the sharp decline in the number of non-English medium candidates.