Kumar Bahukhandi
The Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission (CGPSC) headquarters in Raipur. The Commission has clarified that 608 candidates were shortlisted for the interview stage of the State Service Main Examination-2025 after applying the mandatory minimum qualifying marks prescribed under its examination rules. (Representational Image)
Commission says the shortfall is due to mandatory minimum qualifying marks in each paper; rules provide no scope for re-evaluation or re-totaling
Raipur: The Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission (CGPSC) has issued a detailed clarification regarding the number of candidates shortlisted for the interview stage of the State Service Main Examination-2025, dismissing speculation circulating on social media that the reduced number was the result of an error in the examination process.
The Commission stated that although 795 candidates were expected to be shortlisted under the prescribed selection ratio, only 608 candidates qualified for the interview stage because several aspirants failed to secure the mandatory minimum qualifying marks required in individual question papers. CGPSC emphasised that the shortlisting has been carried out strictly in accordance with the examination rules and notified procedure.
According to the Commission, the clarification became necessary after misleading claims and unverified interpretations regarding the examination result began circulating across social media platforms, creating confusion among candidates awaiting the next stage of the recruitment process.
Minimum qualifying marks determined interview eligibility
Explaining the rules governing the Main Examination, CGPSC said that the State Service Examination-2025 advertisement and the Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission Procedure Rules clearly prescribe minimum qualifying marks for every written paper.
Under Clause 3(iv) of the advertisement and Clause 7 of the Commission’s procedural rules, candidates belonging to the unreserved category are required to secure at least 33 per cent marks in each question paper, while candidates from reserved categories must obtain a minimum of 23 per cent marks in every paper.
The Commission clarified that interview eligibility is not determined merely by overall performance or aggregate marks. Every candidate must first satisfy the minimum qualifying requirement in each individual paper before becoming eligible for consideration in the merit process leading to the interview stage.
As a consequence, even though the anticipated number of shortlisted candidates was higher, those who did not meet the prescribed qualifying benchmark in one or more papers could not be included in the interview list. This resulted in 608 candidates being shortlisted instead of 795.
CGPSC underlined that this outcome reflects the application of existing rules rather than any administrative discrepancy or irregularity in the declaration of results.
No provision for re-evaluation or re-totaling
Addressing another issue frequently raised by aspirants online, the Commission reiterated that its examination regulations do not permit re-evaluation or re-totaling of answer sheets.
Under Clause 11(V) of the examination advertisement, there is no provision for re-evaluation or re-calculation in examinations conducted by the Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission. Consequently, requests seeking reassessment of written papers or recalculation of marks cannot be entertained under the existing rules.
The Commission said candidates should remain aware of this provision while assessing information being circulated through unofficial platforms, as several posts have incorrectly suggested that answer sheets may be reopened for reassessment.
Merit list and cut-off to remain publicly available
CGPSC further informed candidates that transparency measures are already built into the examination system.
After the final selection process is completed, the Commission publishes the merit list containing candidates’ marks for both the Preliminary and Main Examinations along with the cut-off marks of the Main Examination on its official website.
This enables candidates to understand the selection benchmarks and compare their performance within the officially declared merit framework.
In addition, candidates have the right to seek examination-related documents through the provisions of the Right to Information Act. The Commission stated that aspirants may obtain copies of their Preliminary Examination OMR answer sheets as well as the Main Examination question-cum-answer booklets through the RTI process for information relating to their examination performance.
Anonymous question-wise evaluation ensures fairness
The Commission also elaborated on the evaluation mechanism adopted for the State Service Main Examination, stressing that the assessment process is designed to maintain confidentiality and impartiality.
All written answer books are evaluated by subject experts through a question-wise evaluation system, meaning different questions may be assessed independently by qualified evaluators rather than the entire booklet being examined by a single person.
Importantly, the evaluation process is conducted in an identity-blind manner, ensuring that evaluators do not know the identity of the candidate whose answer they are assessing. According to CGPSC, this system prevents any possibility of personal identification influencing the assessment process.
The Commission said that a large number of subject specialists participate in evaluating answer scripts, with each stage governed by established procedures, rules and confidentiality protocols to safeguard the integrity of the examination.
Commission urges candidates to avoid misleading information
Appealing directly to aspirants, CGPSC urged them not to rely on misleading claims being circulated through social media or other unofficial channels regarding the State Service Main Examination-2025 result.
The Commission maintained that the process of identifying candidates for interviews has been completed strictly according to the prescribed rules, qualifying standards and examination guidelines. It reiterated that the reduced number of shortlisted candidates is solely linked to the mandatory minimum qualifying marks applicable to every written paper and not to any error in result preparation.
For thousands of aspirants preparing for one of Chhattisgarh’s most competitive recruitment examinations, the Commission’s clarification is intended to settle the confusion surrounding the interview shortlist and reaffirm that the selection process has followed the notified statutory procedure in its entirety.
