Negative Marking in UPSC Paper II

Introduction:
The UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) conducts the Civil Services Examination, which consists of two papers - Paper I and Paper II. Paper II, also known as the Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT), is a qualifying paper and is used to assess the analytical and decision-making abilities of the candidates. It is important to understand the marking scheme of Paper II, including any negative marking.

Negative Marking:
There is indeed negative marking in Paper II of the UPSC examination. For every incorrect answer, 1/3rd (or 0.33) of the marks assigned to that question are deducted as penalty. This means that if a candidate answers a question incorrectly, they will lose one-third of the marks allotted to that question. However, if a question is left unanswered, there is no penalty.

Example:
Let's assume that Paper II comprises of 80 questions, each carrying 2.5 marks. In this scenario, the total marks for Paper II would be 200 (80 x 2.5). If a candidate answers 60 questions correctly and 20 questions incorrectly, the calculation of marks would be as follows:
- Correctly answered questions: 60 x 2.5 = 150 marks
- Incorrectly answered questions: 20 x 2.5 = 50 marks (deducting 1/3rd for each incorrect answer)

Therefore, the candidate would score a total of 150 - 50 = 100 marks in Paper II.

Importance of Negative Marking:
Negative marking in Paper II serves as a mechanism to discourage guesswork and promote accuracy in responses. It incentivizes candidates to carefully evaluate their answers and only attempt those questions they are confident about. This ensures that candidates possess the necessary analytical and decision-making skills, which are crucial for the administrative roles they will undertake as civil servants.

Conclusion:
In conclusion, negative marking exists in Paper II of the UPSC examination. Candidates should be cautious while answering questions and avoid random guessing to minimize the deduction of marks. It is advisable to attempt questions only when reasonably confident to maximize the chances of qualifying for the next stage of the examination.