This is an accepted version of this page
64-697: The Civil Services Examination ( CSE ) is a standardized test in India conducted by the Union Public Service Commission for recruitment to higher civil services in the Government of India , such as the All India Services and Central Civil Services (Group A and a few Group B posts). It is conducted in three phases: a preliminary examination consisting of two objective-type papers (Paper I consisting of General Studies and Paper II, referred to as
128-449: A norm-referenced score interpretation or a criterion-referenced score interpretation. Either of these systems can be used in standardized testing. What is important to standardized testing is whether all students are asked the equivalent questions, under reasonably equal circumstances, and graded according to the same standards. A normative assessment compares each test-taker against other test-takers. A norm-referenced test (NRT)
192-456: A rubric is meant to increase fairness when the student's performance is evaluated. In standardized testing, measurement error (a consistent pattern of errors and biases in scoring the test) is easy to determine in standardized testing. When the score depends upon the graders' individual preferences, then students' grades depend upon who grades the test. Standardized tests also remove grader bias in assessment. Research shows that teachers create
256-750: A Professor in Materials Science in Pune University in 1977. He established the Center for Advanced Studies in Physics in Pune in 1980. He served as Director of Educational Media Research Center and established Communication Science Department in Pune University in the 1990s. He was Chairman and Vice Chairman of UGC (2000-2005). He helped formulate a strategy for higher education in the Tenth Plan of Government of India. He
320-439: A computer or via computer-adaptive testing . Some standardized tests have short-answer or essay writing components that are assigned a score by independent evaluators who use rubrics (rules or guidelines) and benchmark papers (examples of papers for each possible score) to determine the grade to be given to a response. Not all standardized tests involve answering questions. An authentic assessment for athletic skills could take
384-804: A founding Director of National Assessment and Accreditation Council, an autonomous body of UGC. He developed instruments and methodology for judging quality in Indian higher education, which was endorsed by International Network for Quality Assuring Agencies in Higher Education (INQUAHE). He was a member of Distance Education Council and an adviser to Commonwealth of Learning in Canada. He was awarded Honorary Doctorates by Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University , Nagarjuna University , Guru Nanak Dev University , Jagadguru Rambhadracharya Handicapped University , University of Calicut and Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University . He won
448-414: A kind of self-fulfilling prophecy in their assessment of students, granting those they anticipate will achieve with higher scores and giving those who they expect to fail lower grades. In non-standardized assessment, graders have more individual discretion and therefore are more likely to produce unfair results through unconscious bias . Teacher #1: This answer mentions one of the required items, so it
512-624: A modern standardized test for IQ , the Stanford–Binet Intelligence Test , appeared in 1916. The College Board then designed the SAT (Scholar Aptitude Test) in 1926. The first SAT test was based on the Army IQ tests, with the goal of determining the test taker's intelligence, problem-solving skills, and critical thinking . In 1959, Everett Lindquist offered the ACT (American College Testing) for
576-657: A part of United States education since the 19th century, but the widespread reliance on standardized testing in schools in the US is largely a 20th-century phenomenon. Immigration in the mid-19th century contributed to the growth of standardized tests in the United States. Standardized tests were used when people first entered the US to test social roles and find social power and status. The College Entrance Examination Board began offering standardized testing for university and college admission in 1901, covering nine subjects. This test
640-483: A practical skills performance test . The questions can be simple or complex. The subject matter among school-age students is frequently academic skills, but a standardized test can be given on nearly any topic, including driving tests , creativity , athleticism , personality , professional ethics , or other attributes. The opposite of standardized testing is non-standardized testing , in which either significantly different tests are given to different test takers, or
704-432: A predetermined, standard manner. Any test in which the same test is given in the same manner to all test takers, and graded in the same manner for everyone, is a standardized test. Standardized tests do not need to be high-stakes tests , time-limited tests, multiple-choice tests , academic tests, or tests given to large numbers of test takers. A standardized test may be any type of test: a written test, an oral test , or
SECTION 10
#1733093383700768-741: A school is trying to compare students from across the nation or across the world. The standardization ensures that all of the students are being tested equally, and the norm-referencing identifies which are better or worse. Examples of such international benchmark tests include the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study ( TIMMS ) and the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study ( PIRLS ). Arun Nigavekar Arun Nigavekar (14 March 1942 – 23 April 2021)
832-491: A test question in the same way will get the same score for that question. The purpose of this standardization is to make sure that the scores reliably indicate the abilities or skills being measured, and not other things, such as different instructions about what to do if the test taker does not know the answer to a question. By the beginning of the 21st century, the focus shifted away from a strict sameness of conditions towards equal fairness of testing conditions. For example,
896-427: A test taker with a broken wrist might write more slowly because of the injury, and it would be more equitable, and produce a more reliable understanding of the test taker's actual knowledge, if that person were given a few more minutes to write down the answers to a time-limited test. Changing the testing conditions in a way that improves fairness with respect to a permanent or temporary disability, but without undermining
960-513: Is a type of test, assessment , or evaluation which yields an estimate of the position of the tested individual in a predefined population. The estimate is derived from the analysis of test scores and other relevant data from a sample drawn from the population. This type of test identifies whether the test taker performed better or worse than other students taking this test. Comparing against others makes norm-referenced standardized tests useful for admissions purposes in higher education, where
1024-501: Is correct and complete, so I'll give full credit. Teacher #2: This answer is correct, so I'll give full points. Teacher #1: This answer does not mention any of the required items. No points. Teacher #2: This answer is wrong. No credit. Teacher #1: This answer is wrong. No points. Teacher #2: This answer is wrong, but this student tried hard and the sentence is grammatically correct, so I'll give one point for effort. There are two types of test score interpretations:
1088-435: Is correct. Teacher #2: This answer is correct. Teacher #1: I feel like this answer is good enough, so I'll mark it correct. Teacher #2: This answer is correct, but this good student should be able to do better than that, so I'll only give partial credit. Teacher #1: This answer mentions one of the required items, so it is correct. Teacher #2: This answer is correct. Teacher #1: I feel like this answer
1152-569: Is not new, although the current Australian approach may be said to have its origins in current educational policy structures in both the US and the UK. There are several key differences between the Australian NAPLAN and the UK and USA strategies. Schools that are found to be under-performing in the Australian context will be offered financial assistance under the current federal government policy. In 1968
1216-560: Is of a duration of 3 hours. Candidates who pass qualifying papers are ranked according to marks and a selected number of candidates are called for an interview or a personality test at the Commission's discretion. According to the new marks allocations in Civil Service Examination 2013, there are some changes made in the examination according to the suggestion of Prof. Arun. S. Nigavekar Committee. However, after some controversy,
1280-636: Is qualifying, and the marks obtained in this paper are not counted for merit. However, the candidate must score a minimum of 33 percent in this paper to qualify for the Prelims exam. In August 2014, the Centre announced that English marks in CSAT will not be included for gradation or merit and 2011 candidates may get a second chance to appear for the test next year. In May 2015, the Government of India announced that Paper II of
1344-400: Is taking the same test. The definition of a standardized test has changed somewhat over time. In 1960, standardized tests were defined as those in which the conditions and content were equal for everyone taking the test, regardless of when, where, or by whom the test was given or graded. Standardized tests have a consistent, uniform method for scoring. This means that all students who answer
SECTION 20
#17330933837001408-620: The Gaokao system. Standardized testing was introduced into Europe in the early 19th century, modeled on the Chinese mandarin examinations, through the advocacy of British colonial administrators, the most "persistent" of which was Britain's consul in Guangzhou, China , Thomas Taylor Meadows . Meadows warned of the collapse of the British Empire if standardized testing was not implemented throughout
1472-460: The Mauryan Empire and Mughal Empire . It is one of the most difficult competitive examinations in not just India but across the world, with more than a million candidates every year. A single attempt can take two complete years of preparation - one year before the prelims and one year from the prelims to the interview. As of 2014, on an average, 900,000 to 1,000,000 candidates apply every year and
1536-533: The War Office Selection Boards were developed for the British Army during World War II to choose candidates for officer training and other tasks. The tests looked at soldiers' mental abilities, mechanical skills, ability to work with others, and other qualities. Previous methods had suffered from bias and resulted in choosing the wrong soldiers for officer training. Standardized testing has been
1600-482: The "Saber 3°5°9°" exam. This test is currently presented on a computer in controlled and census samples. Upon leaving high school students present the "Saber 11" that allows them to enter different universities in the country. Students studying at home can take this exam to graduate from high school and get their degree certificate and diploma. Students leaving university must take the "Saber Pro" exam. Canada leaves education, and standardized testing as result, under
1664-408: The "interview", the objective of the interview is to assess the personal suitability of the candidate for a career in public service by a board of competent and unbiased observers. The test is intended to evaluate the mental calibre of a candidate. In broad terms, this is really an assessment of not only a candidate's intellectual qualities, but also social traits and interest in current affairs. Some of
1728-625: The 'Father of Quality Education in India'. Nigavekar studied in Pune and Uppsala in Sweden where he held SIDA Fellowship.. He was awarded the Dakshina Fellowship by Rajaram College in Kolhapur. Nigavekar helped advance the use of technology and internationalization of higher education. He highlighted the concept of Quality in Higher Education. He served as Vice Chancellor of University of Pune. He has 70 research publications to his credit. He became
1792-460: The Chinese use of standardized testing, in the early 19th century, British "company managers hired and promoted employees based on competitive examinations in order to prevent corruption and favoritism." This practice of standardized testing was later adopted in the late 19th century by the British mainland. The parliamentary debates that ensued made many references to the "Chinese mandarin system". It
1856-495: The Civil Service Aptitude Test or CSAT), and a main examination consisting of nine papers of conventional (essay) type, in which two papers are qualifying and only marks of seven are counted; finally followed by a personality test (interview). A successful candidate sits for 32 hours of examination during the complete process spanning around one year. Those who pass the Civil Service Examination may be selected to join
1920-611: The Colombian Institute for the Evaluation of Education (ICFES) was born to regulate higher education. The previous public evaluation system for the authorization of operation and legal recognition for institutions and university programs was implemented. Colombia has several standardized tests that assess the level of education in the country. These exams are performed by the ICFES. Students in third grade, fifth grade and ninth grade take
1984-586: The NCLB at the end of 2015. By that point, these large-scale standardized tests had become controversial in the United States not necessarily because all the students were taking the same tests and being scored the same way, but because they had become high-stakes tests for the school systems and teachers. In recent years, many US universities and colleges have abandoned the requirement of standardized test scores by applicants. The Australian National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) standardized testing
Civil Services Examination - Misplaced Pages Continue
2048-777: The Phia Foundation Award, UNESCO honor, Swami Vivekanand Award, Advocate D R Nagakar Award, Shiromani Award and the Delhi Ratan Award. Nigavekar appeared in the Financial Chronicle , Sakal (a Marathi newspaper), the Times of India and The Hindu . He headed the committee of experts appointed by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to review the existing structure of Civil Services (Main) examination and suggest necessary changes. Nigavekar headed
2112-464: The age of 32 years (for the General category candidate) on 1 August of the year of examination. Prescribed age limits vary with respect to caste reservations. The number of times a candidate can appear for the exam are given below. Appearing to attempt one of the papers in the preliminary examination is counted as an attempt, including disqualification/ cancellation of candidature. However, applying to sit
2176-552: The course of their schooling life, and help teachers to improve individual learning opportunities for their students. Students and school level data are also provided to the appropriate school system on the understanding that they can be used to target specific supports and resources to schools that need them most. Teachers and schools use this information, in conjunction with other information, to determine how well their students are performing and to identify any areas of need requiring assistance. The concept of testing student achievement
2240-411: The curiosity of all well-educated youth. The interview standards are generally high and require thorough preparation as well as commitment. Standardized test A standardized test is a test that is administered and scored in a consistent, or "standard", manner. Standardized tests are designed in such a way that the questions and interpretations are consistent and are administered and scored in
2304-563: The empire immediately. Prior to their adoption, standardized testing was not traditionally a part of Western pedagogy. Based on the skeptical and open-ended tradition of debate inherited from Ancient Greece, Western academia favored non-standardized assessments using essays written by students. It is because of this, that the first European implementation of standardized testing did not occur in Europe proper, but in British India . Inspired by
2368-521: The exam but failing to attend is not counted as an attempt. The pattern of the Preliminary examination, also known as the Prelims exam up to 2010 was based on the recommendations of the Kothari Commission (1979). It included two examinations, one on general studies worth 150 marks, and the second on one of 23 optional subjects worth 300 marks. Until 2011, when it was revamped, the preliminary pattern
2432-443: The examination is as follows: All candidates must have as a minimum one of the following educational qualifications: The following candidates are also eligible, but must submit proof of their eligibility from a competent authority at their institute/university at the time of the main examination, failing which they will not be allowed to attend the exam. The candidate must have attained the age of 21 years and must not have attained
2496-604: The first time. As of 2020, the ACT includes four main sections with multiple-choice questions to test English, mathematics, reading, and science, plus an optional writing section. Individual states began testing large numbers of children and teenagers through the public school systems in the 1970s. By the 1980s, American schools were assessing nationally. In 2012, 45 states paid an average of $ 27 per student, and $ 669 million overall, on large-scale annual academic tests. However, indirect costs , such as paying teachers to prepare students for
2560-623: The following services: Previously, passing the Civil Services Examination also allowed candidates to join the Central Secretariat Service (CSS), Indian Ordnance Factories Service (IOFS) or the Indian Railway Management Service (IRMS). The Civil Services Examination is based on the British era Imperial Civil Service tests, as well as the civil service tests conducted by old Indian empires such as
2624-425: The form of running for a set amount of time or dribbling a ball for a certain distance. Healthcare professionals must pass tests proving that they can perform medical procedures. Candidates for driver's licenses must pass a standardized test showing that they can drive a car. The Canadian Standardized Test of Fitness has been used in medical research, to determine how physically fit the test takers are. Since
Civil Services Examination - Misplaced Pages Continue
2688-517: The history of India and the Indian national movement, Indian and world geography, Indian polity Panchayati Raj system, and governance, economic and social development, environmental ecology, biodiversity, climate change, and general science, Art and culture. Tests the candidate's skills in comprehension, interpersonal skills, communication, logical reasoning, analytical ability, decision-making, problem-solving, basic numeracy, data interpretation, English language comprehension skills, and mental ability. It
2752-866: The jurisdiction of the provinces. Each province has its own province-wide standardized testing regime, ranging from no required standardized tests for students in Saskatchewan to exams worth 40% of final high school grades in Newfoundland and Labrador. Most commonly, a major academic test includes both human-scored and computer-scored sections. A standardized test can be composed of multiple-choice questions, true-false questions, essay questions, authentic assessments , or nearly any other form of assessment. Multiple-choice and true-false items are often chosen for tests that are taken by thousands of people because they can be given and scored inexpensively, quickly, and reliably through using special answer sheets that can be read by
2816-530: The latter part of the 20th century, large-scale standardized testing has been shaped in part, by the ease and low cost of grading of multiple-choice tests by computer. Most national and international assessments are not fully evaluated by people. People are used to score items that are not able to be scored easily by computer (such as essays). For example, the Graduate Record Exam is a computer-adaptive assessment that requires no scoring by people except for
2880-491: The learning of the participants at the end of an instructional unit). Because everyone gets the same test and the same grading system, standardized tests are often perceived as being fairer than non-standardized tests. Such tests are often thought of as fairer and more objective than a system in which some students get an easier test and others get a more difficult test. Standardized tests are designed to permit reliable comparison of outcomes across all test takers, because everyone
2944-637: The main point of the assessment, is called accommodation . However, if the purpose of the test were to see how quickly the student could write, then giving the test taker extra time would become a modification of the content, and no longer a standardized test. The earliest evidence of standardized testing was in China , during the Han dynasty , where the imperial examinations covered the Six Arts which included music, archery, horsemanship, arithmetic, writing, and knowledge of
3008-502: The mental qualities of the candidate. The interview is not intended to test either of the specialized or general knowledge of the candidate, which has been already tested through written papers. Candidates are expected to have taken an intelligent interest not only in their special subjects of academic study, but also in the events which are happening around them both within and outside their own state or country as well as in modern currents of thought and in new discoveries which should rouse
3072-521: The number of candidates sitting in the preliminary examination is approximately 550,000. Results for the Prelims are published in mid-August, while the final result is published in May of the next year. After the completion of the Medical examination of the successful candidates and other necessary formalities, the training program for the selected candidates usually commences the following September. Eligibility for
3136-454: The paper is passed to additional scorers. Though the process is more difficult than grading multiple-choice tests electronically, essays can also be graded by computer. In other instances, essays and other open-ended responses are graded according to a pre-determined assessment rubric by trained graders. For example, at Pearson, all essay graders have four-year university degrees, and a majority are current or former classroom teachers. Using
3200-815: The preliminary examination would be qualifying in nature i.e. it will not be graded for eligibility in the Mains Examination and a candidate will need to score at least 33% to be eligible for grading based on marks of Paper I of the Preliminary Examination. Those who qualify in the Prelims become eligible for the Mains. The Civil Services Mains Examination consists of a written examination and an interview. The Civil Services Main written examination consists of nine papers, two qualifying and seven ranking in nature. The range of questions may vary from just one mark to sixty marks, twenty words to 600 words answers. Each paper
3264-445: The qualifying papers for Indian languages and English were restored. 1. The paper A on Indian Language will not, however, be compulsory for candidates hailing from the states of Arunachal Pradesh , Manipur , Meghalya , Mizoram , Nagaland and Sikkim . The examination is available in the following languages, with the name of the script in parentheses: The subjects available for Papers VI and VII are: Unofficially called
SECTION 50
#17330933837003328-411: The qualities to be judged are mental alertness, critical powers of assimilation, clear and logical exposition, balance of judgement, variety and depth of interest, ability for social cohesion and leadership, and intellectual and moral integrity. The technique of the interview is not that of a strict cross-examination, but of a natural, though directed and purposeful conversation that is intended to reveal
3392-457: The results of standardized testing. Under these federal laws, the school curriculum was still set by each state, but the federal government required states to assess how well schools and teachers were teaching the state-chosen material with standardized tests. Students' results on large-scale standardized tests were used to allocate funds and other resources to schools, and to close poorly performing schools. The Every Student Succeeds Act replaced
3456-408: The rituals and ceremonies of both public and private parts. These exams were used to select employees for the state bureaucracy. Later, sections on military strategies, civil law, revenue and taxation, agriculture and geography were added to the testing. In this form, the examinations were institutionalized for more than a millennium. Today, standardized testing remains widely used, most famously in
3520-404: The same test is assigned under significantly different conditions (e.g., one group is permitted far less time to complete the test than the next group) or evaluated differently (e.g., the same answer is counted right for one student, but wrong for another student). Most everyday quizzes and tests taken by students during school meet the definition of a standardized test: everyone in the class takes
3584-465: The same test, at the same time, under the same circumstances, and all of the students are graded by their teacher in the same way. However, the term standardized test is most commonly used to refer to tests that are given to larger groups, such as a test taken by all adults who wish to acquire a license to have a particular kind of job, or by all students of a certain age. Most standardized tests are forms of summative assessments (assessments that measure
3648-516: The tests and for class time spent administering the tests, significantly exceed the direct cost of the test itself. The need for the federal government to make meaningful comparisons across a highly de-centralized (locally controlled) public education system encouraged the use of large-scale standardized testing. The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 required some standardized testing in public schools. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 further tied some types of public school funding to
3712-467: The writing portion. Human scoring is relatively expensive and often variable, which is why computer scoring is preferred when feasible. For example, some critics say that poorly paid employees will score tests badly. Agreement between scorers can vary between 60 and 85 percent, depending on the test and the scoring session. For large-scale tests in schools, some test-givers pay to have two or more scorers read each paper; if their scores do not agree, then
3776-453: Was a visiting professor in University of York in U.K. and University of Western Ontario in Canada in the 1980s. He was a founding editor of Physics Educational Journal . He was a permanent member and was Vice-Chairman of Asian Physics Education Network, a UNESCO organization. He was a member of UGC from 1993-1996 and initiated reforms such as decentralization of UGC administration. He was
3840-599: Was an Indian physicist and educator . He was the vice-chancellor of the University of Pune from 1998 to 2000 and the vice-chairperson and then chairperson of the University Grants Commission (UGC) from 2000 to 2005. Nigavekar helped establish the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) body as the Founder Director. A. P. J. Kalam , the former President of India , dubbed him as
3904-792: Was commenced in 2008 by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, an independent authority "responsible for the development of a national curriculum, a national assessment program and a national data collection and reporting program that supports 21st century learning for all Australian students". The testing includes all students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 in Australian schools to be assessed using national tests. The subjects covered in these tests include Reading, Writing, Language Conventions (Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation) and Numeracy. The program presents students level reports designed to enable parents to see their child's progress over
SECTION 60
#17330933837003968-678: Was from Britain that standardized testing spread, not only throughout the British Commonwealth , but to Europe and then America. Its spread was fueled by the Industrial Revolution . The increase in number of school students during and after the Industrial Revolution, as a result of compulsory education laws, decreased the use of open-ended assessment, which was harder to mass-produce and assess objectively due to its intrinsically subjective nature. Standardized tests such as
4032-585: Was implemented with the idea of creating standardized admissions for the United States in northeastern elite universities. Originally, the test was also meant for top boarding schools , in order to align the curriculum between schools. Originally the standardized test was made of essays and was not intended for widespread testing. During World War I , the Army Alpha and Beta tests were developed to help place new recruits in appropriate assignments based upon their assessed intelligence levels. The first edition of
4096-431: Was sustained with only minor changes once every ten to fifteen years. From 2011 onwards, the preliminary examination intends to focus on analytical abilities and understanding rather than the ability to memorize. The new pattern includes two papers of two hours duration and 200 marks each. Both papers have multiple-choice objective type questions only. They are as follows: Tests the candidate's knowledge of current events,
#699300