Pune: The Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) has decided to make changes to the answer sheets used for objective multiple-choice examinations. Changes have also been made regarding the evaluation of answer sheets and the handling of invalid answer sheets. The MPSC has provided this information through a circular.
As part of its policy to bring timely updates and innovations to the recruitment processes conducted by the Maharashtra Public Service Commission, the answer sheets used for various objective multiple-choice examinations are being revised to make them more foolproof.
The revised answer sheets will be in two copies (carbonless), as per the Commission’s existing policy. After the examination, the original copy of the answer sheet must be submitted to the Commission, while candidates are allowed to take a duplicate copy with them.
Changes are being made to the answer sheet format and the method of shading the circles. Accordingly, the original copy of the revised answer sheet will be in two parts. Part 1 is solely for candidates to mark their answers, while Part 2 will contain personal details such as the name of the examination, candidate’s seat number, subject code, question paper number, candidate’s and invigilator’s signatures, etc.
The candidate’s seat number will be 7 digits (numeric) instead of 8 alphanumeric characters. Also, the seat number will remain the same for the entire selection process as per the relevant advertisement. After the candidate submits the original answer sheet, the invigilator will separate Part 1 from Part 2 of the answer sheet.
While according to the current method, candidates have to mark one circle out of the four options on the answer sheet to record the correct answer for any question, a fifth option circle has been newly included on the answer sheet. Candidates are required to select the fifth option if they do not wish to provide an answer to a particular question.
It is mandatory for candidates to select one of the five options on the answer sheet for each question. Otherwise, 25 per cent or 1/4th of the marks for that question will be deducted from the candidate’s total score, as clearly stated.
Some changes have also been made to the evaluation procedure of the answer sheets, including corrections to the answer sheet. Accordingly, for each question, 25 per cent or 1/4th of the marks will be deducted from the total score for reasons such as not shading any of the five options, shading more than one circle or attempting to do so, making corrections to the answer or attempting to do so, or providing an incorrect answer on the answer sheet.
It has also been clarified that even if the total score results in a fraction while following this new procedure, it will remain in fractional form.
Invalid Answer Sheet
The MPSC has warned that the answer sheet will be considered invalid if the candidate fails to sign in the designated place on Part-2 of the original answer sheet (page 1), uses ink or a type of pen other than a black ballpoint pen, writes irrelevant, inappropriate, or inapplicable remarks or symbols on the answer sheet, fails to mention the question booklet number from the question booklet provided to the candidate on the answer sheet, or writes the seat number or any other kind of writing or makes any symbolic mark on Part-1 of the original answer sheet (page 1) or attempts to do so.
