Big reform in OPSC: OSIC orders transparency in Interview marks

In a major development, the Odisha State Information Commission (OSIC) has directed the Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) to make interview marks of all examinations public.

Earlier, the OPSC released interview scores only for the Civil Services Examination. With the new directive, the disclosure of interview marks has now been made mandatory across all recruitment exams conducted by the Commission.

Speaking exclusively to OTV, Chief Information Commissioner Manoj Kumar Parida said, “A lady teacher had come to us with allegations that she had appeared for the post of Assistant Teacher in 2022. She had three requests – a copy of the advertisement, her assessment marks, and interview marks. While her demands were fulfilled, she was denied to know her interview marks. OPSC took an in-house decision and refused to give her interview marks.”

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“OPSC only agreed to give in writing if she was ‘suitable’ or ‘unsuitable’. The list of suitable candidates will be made public, but we will not declare the interview marks, OPSC stated. The second appeal had come to me. A representative of OPSC stated that they had no minimum marks. He revealed that they focused on personality tests, with a focus on speaking, pedagogy, and others. We will conduct the assessment, but not provide the marks,” he continued.

“But the Commission reached a conclusion that this was against self-awareness. If a candidate fails, he/she will not be able to know how much score he/she got and how many marks he/she fell short. There is no scope for improvement for the candidates. So, it is everyone’s right to know their marks,” he added. 

“So, we have been directed to reveal the marks if it is in a sealed cover. From now on, they will provide marks to all the candidates. There is a clear provision in the RTI Act that if any other Act goes against it, then our Act will prevail. This has been written very clearly. The direction we have given is reasonable, and even officials at OPSC might want to publish the marks of the candidates,” he added.

“No one wants to hide anyone’s marks. I think the quantity of RTI applications is higher, so they might be unwilling to publicise the marks. We are not the Supreme Court; they can object to our directions,” he concluded.