By Career Varta News | October 2025
In a landmark decision aimed at enhancing transparency in the civil services examination process, the Supreme Court of India has approved the Union Public Service Commission’s (UPSC) proposal to publish provisional answer keys immediately after the Preliminary Examination. This reform is being hailed as a “historic win for aspirants,” ensuring fairness and accountability in one of India’s most competitive examinations.
⚖️ A Milestone in Exam Transparency
Until now, the UPSC released official answer keys and cut-off marks only after the entire exam cycle concluded — often more than a year later. This long wait left candidates uncertain about their performance and unable to verify the accuracy of disputed questions.
With the new system, UPSC will release provisional answer keys shortly after the Prelims, inviting candidates to raise objections or submit clarifications. Only after resolving these objections will the Commission publish the final answer key before declaring results.
“This move reflects a much-needed step towards transparency and trust in the recruitment process,” said education policy expert Dr. S. Rao, calling it a “model reform for other public service commissions to follow.”
🧾 How the New System Will Work
- Step 1: Provisional answer keys to be uploaded on the UPSC website within days of the Prelims exam.
- Step 2: Candidates will get a window of 3–5 days to submit objections or corrections.
- Step 3: UPSC will review the submissions and publish a final answer key before releasing the result.
This aligns UPSC’s process with global best practices followed by competitive exam boards such as the GRE, GMAT, and IELTS, where candidates are given a chance to challenge questions before results are finalized.
đź“Ł Aspirants Welcome the Decision
Civil service aspirants across India have welcomed the Supreme Court’s directive, calling it a “game changer” for fair evaluation.
“This reform will reduce anxiety and speculation,” said Ritika Sharma, a UPSC candidate from Delhi. “We’ll finally have clarity on where we went wrong and what to improve before Mains.”
Student groups and online learning platforms have also lauded the decision, suggesting that UPSC’s move could inspire other state PSCs to adopt similar transparency norms.
🔍 Why It Matters
- Promotes fairness and accountability in one of India’s toughest examinations.
- Helps aspirants analyze mistakes early and improve for the next attempt.
- Reduces misinformation, speculation, and reliance on unofficial answer keys.
- Sets a precedent for other competitive exams (SSC, State PSCs, Banking, etc.) to follow.
🧠Career Varta Takeaway
With over 10 lakh candidates appearing for UPSC Prelims every year, this step represents a major leap forward in exam transparency and aspirant confidence.
For future candidates, it means faster feedback, more reliable evaluation, and a more student-centric approach to one of India’s most respected exams.
⚠️ Disclaimer
The information contained in this article is based on reports and official announcements available as of October 2025. While Career Varta strives to ensure accuracy and reliability, readers are advised to verify details through the official UPSC website (www.upsc.gov.in) and Supreme Court notifications before taking any action.
Career Varta is not responsible for any discrepancies, changes, or interpretations arising from updates made by official authorities.
