The way that the story of the TSPSC (Telangana State Public Service Commission) Group I Preliminary examinations' question paper leak has been developing is constantly excluding the most important stakeholder from the narrative — the youth.
Amidst all the political shenanigans surrounding the matter — be it the unanimous protesting of opposition parties, and calls for the resignation of several key figures, from the Chief Minister of Telangana, K Chandrashekar Rao to the TSPSC Chairman B Janardhan Reddy; the SIT summoning Congress Telangana President Revanth Reddy; and the state government scrambling to make the exam foolproof — the spotlight is somehow travelling further and further away from the ones actually facing the brunt of the situation, the aspirants.
Let's look at the numbers for a bit. About 3.8 lakh candidates applied to the Group I Preliminary exams. Out of these, about 2.8 lakh candidates appeared for the exam. Yet today, not one of them, let alone their ordeal, is being heard. Their stories are drowning amidst the cacophony of political mud-slinging and opportunism.
Today, we bring you one such story — that of a resilient Amogha Arnava Viva, 26, who appeared for the defamed exam on October 16, 2022.
Like several of his fellow candidates, Arnava attempted to crack the TSPSC examinations to contribute positively to the development of his state. With a Masters’ Degree in Development Studies and a PG Diploma in Urban Planning, attempting the TSPSC seemed the most obvious step for the youngster.
Preparation for TSPSC — is this enough?
"My interest in working in favour of Telangana’s best interests goes back to my participation in the Telangana agitation (for a separate state), and this fervour still remains," narrates Arnava. Such is this fervour that not even a three-year-old spine injury, which continues to hinder his mobility, could keep his spirit down.
Shunning coaching centres, Arnava went down the self-study route. “Coaching centres were incompatible with my style of preparation, and could not meet my needs,” the Hyderabad-born explained.
Other states’ Public Service Commission exam papers across the years and study help channels on YouTube channels were his only company for six to nine hours a day, aiding home to navigate the difficult preparation for the exam. “I started studying as soon as the notification was out,” he said. “With my background in the Social Sciences, I was already familiar with concepts of Economics, Telangana history, Civics and Public Policy. All I had to do was revise,” he said, describing his preparation
However, not everything was this smooth — especially considering the fact that this was his very first attempt at a competitive exam. He was always wondering if his preparation covered everything. “There was so much to learn and it always felt like I was missing out on something. No amount of preparation felt enough. Current Affairs, Arithmetics and Quantitative Reasoning were especially difficult. One must try not to miss anything and be careful until the very last question,” the 26-year-old said.
In addition to his gruelling study schedule, he also had his health to worry about. He explains, “My studies often came in the way of my health and there were times when I had to compromise my health for my preparation.”
However, these challenges never shook him off his course. “At the end of the day, it was never about self-interest,” he asserted and added, “Rather, it is about making a positive difference in the lives of people. Telangana has very particular needs and I want to be in a position where I can help our lawmakers focus on these needs better.”
When D-Day of the TSPSC arrived
Arnava recalled being extremely nervous on the day of his exam, owing to his inexperience with competitive exams of any sort. And true enough to his predicament, he found the paper to be quite challenging.
“The paper was more difficult than those of previous years, and had questions that made the candidates think,” he said, “Frankly, it was impressive how challenging it was, for a State Public Service Commission paper.” He also recalled feeling a sense of relief once the exam concluded. “All things considered, I am glad that I gave my best shot at it,” he said.
Missed by a whisker
Unfortunately, Arnava missed the cut-off by a mark and a half. “It hurt to not qualify for Mains by such a narrow difference,” he said, “but I was willing to attempt the Group 1 exam again, whenever the notification would come.”
Like everyone who appeared for the exam, the news of the question paper leak was a big shock to the youngster. “I was impressed by the standards of the TSPSC paper and assumed that the same standards would be maintained across the administration of the exam,” he said.
However, he remains unwavering in his aspirations — and plans to take the exam again on the revised date. “While I am certainly shocked and concerned about the TSPSC’s efficiency, I trust them to make their processes more foolproof,” he said.
Arnava plans to attempt both the UPSC Prelims and the revised TSPSC Prelims this year. However, if given a choice, he would choose TSPSC over UPSC, despite not being as coveted. “As an officer in the TSPSC, I would be able to play a more direct role in Telangana’s policymaking and development. The areas I would like to focus on are water supply up to the last mile, KG-to-PG education, and improving our state’s public healthcare” he said.
