The recently announced results of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) civil services examination (CSE) 2022 have sparked a discussion regarding the underrepresentation of Muslim candidates in the final list released after the interview. Out of the 933 successful candidates, only 29 belong to the Muslim community.
Some netizens raised the question, ‘Is the UPSC CSE interview proving to be a hurdle for Muslim candidates?’
Upon scrutinization, it becomes evident that the interview stage is not responsible for the low representation of Muslim candidates as out of at least 70 Muslim candidates who qualified for the personality test, 29 have been recommended by the commission for appointment to various services. In comparison, out of the overall 2,529 candidates who qualified for the personality test, 933 candidates have been recommended.
Muslim candidates are failing to clear UPSC prelims, written test
The data suggests that the preliminary and written examination stages contribute significantly to the lower numbers of Muslim candidates. Apart from it, the lower participation of Muslims in the examination is another main reason for the low percentage of Muslim candidates among the successful candidates over the years.
In 2022, Muslim candidates constituted only 3.1 percent of the total successful candidates, a decline from 3.64 percent in 2021. Even in previous years, the percentage ranged between 2 and 6 percent, which is significantly lower than the Muslim population percentage in India, estimated at 17.22 percent as per the 2011 census.
Stages apart interview in UPSC CSE
The UPSC Civil Services Exam (CSE) is conducted annually in three stages: prelims, main, and interview. The exam serves as a gateway to select officers for prestigious positions in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), the Indian Foreign Service (IFS), the Indian Police Service (IPS), and other esteemed government roles.
The competition is fierce, with lakhs of aspirants vying for a limited number of vacancies.
The preliminary examination is the first hurdle for aspiring civil servants. Though, it is a qualifying exam, only a few thousand students manage to clear it out of the large pool of candidates who appear each year.
The underrepresentation of Muslim candidates in the UPSC CSE is a matter of concern that needs to be addressed not only by the government but also by civil society organizations.
