Copy Cat
SPIPA’s selection process for IAS coaching under a cloud after 100-marks questions in its entrance exam is ‘copied’ from question paper of Shri Rajput IAS Study Centre which held its test first
The Gandhinagar institute had conducted its entrance exam a week before SPIPA conducted the exam for 72 coveted seats. A record 4,579 students had appeared for SPIPA test held on July 17.
Civil services is gaining popularity in the state as is evident from the fact that the number of students clearing the exams has been steadily increasing – this year, six students from Gujarat made it.
But in what reeks of a scam, more than 50 per cent questions in SPIPA paper (D-series) were apparently ‘lifted’ from the question paper set by SRIC. Even the spelling mistakes have been unabashedly retained.
This clearly benefited the students who appeared for SRIC test as well as SPIPA exam. As many as 250 candidates who cracked the SPIPA exam on July 17, were shortlisted for another test. Finally, 72 students were selected after the interviews. Every year, the state government spends lakhs of rupees to train IAS aspirants joining SPIPA.
However, with the ‘blunder’ in the entrance paper exposed, SPIPA authorities say they will conduct a probe.
SPIPA Director J M Acharya said, “First, we’ll take a look at both the question papers [SPIPA and SRISC]. We’ll decide on whether action should be taken against those responsible only after a thorough probe is conducted.”
While SRIC’s was a 100-marks exam with each question carrying 0.25 marks, SPIPA’s was a 200-marks test with each question carrying 2.5 marks.
State government spends lakhs of rupees to train SPIPA’s IAS aspirants in exams, group discussions and extempore speeches
Ramjubha Jadeja, president of Kutch-Kathiawadi Rajput Samaj, which runs SRIC, said, “We hold our ethics high. There has been no malpractice from our end. Also, we were the first to conduct the exam. We have not copied from SPIPA paper. An academic expert based in Delhi sets our question paper.”
Yogesh Avasthi
Posted On Tuesday, August 02, 2011 (http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/2/20110802201108020228263629a4a733f/Copy-Cat.html)
In what has brought the integrity of Sardar Patel Institute of Public Administration (SPIPA) under scanner, as many as 41 of the 80 questions in its entrance examination for IAS coaching also figured in entrance exam paper of Shri Rajput IAS Study Centre (SRISC), Gandhinagar.The Gandhinagar institute had conducted its entrance exam a week before SPIPA conducted the exam for 72 coveted seats. A record 4,579 students had appeared for SPIPA test held on July 17.
Civil services is gaining popularity in the state as is evident from the fact that the number of students clearing the exams has been steadily increasing – this year, six students from Gujarat made it.
But in what reeks of a scam, more than 50 per cent questions in SPIPA paper (D-series) were apparently ‘lifted’ from the question paper set by SRIC. Even the spelling mistakes have been unabashedly retained.
This clearly benefited the students who appeared for SRIC test as well as SPIPA exam. As many as 250 candidates who cracked the SPIPA exam on July 17, were shortlisted for another test. Finally, 72 students were selected after the interviews. Every year, the state government spends lakhs of rupees to train IAS aspirants joining SPIPA.
However, with the ‘blunder’ in the entrance paper exposed, SPIPA authorities say they will conduct a probe.
SPIPA Director J M Acharya said, “First, we’ll take a look at both the question papers [SPIPA and SRISC]. We’ll decide on whether action should be taken against those responsible only after a thorough probe is conducted.”
While SRIC’s was a 100-marks exam with each question carrying 0.25 marks, SPIPA’s was a 200-marks test with each question carrying 2.5 marks.
State government spends lakhs of rupees to train SPIPA’s IAS aspirants in exams, group discussions and extempore speeches
Ramjubha Jadeja, president of Kutch-Kathiawadi Rajput Samaj, which runs SRIC, said, “We hold our ethics high. There has been no malpractice from our end. Also, we were the first to conduct the exam. We have not copied from SPIPA paper. An academic expert based in Delhi sets our question paper.”
A student who appeared for SPIPA exam, said, “People have high regards for the organisation. They provide the best faculty members and train students in extempore speeches and group discussions, too. But now the selection process of the institute has come under a cloud.”
“We’ve heard of Gujarat University repeating its question papers. But SPIPA lifting questions is unheard of. I saw both SRISC and SPIPA papers. Even the figures in the problems are the same. SPIPA has not even corrected the spelling mistakes in the passages,” said another student.
