The Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) has surprised aspirants across the state with the fact that none of the candidates appeared for the Additional Private Secretary (APS) Recruitment Examination 2023, qualified for the second candidate stage of the exam. The commission told no candidate had qualified for the second stage of the exam, and therefore, all 331 advertised vacancies have been floated for subsequent recruitment. The development has led to conversations and speculation among aspirants and coaching institutes regarding the aspirants’ examination difficulty level and selection minimum criteria.
Why no candidate qualified in the UPPSC APS exam
UPPSC said the second stage of the examination demanded a Hindi shorthand speed of 80 words per minute, as per the recruitment notification, at the time of examination. Based on a 75 mark Hindi shorthand test with a 25 mark Hindi typing test, the commission said nobody who appeared for the second-stage exam was able to meet the short speed benchmark. When the minimum shorthand requirement was mandatory for a candidate to be deemed successful, no one came out successful in this test in any component.
How many candidates appeared in APS second stage test
The advance recruitment was started to fill 331 Additional Private Secretaries posts. The first stage of Examination was held on 7th Jan, 2024 and results were announced on 4th March, 2024. 5,889 candidates were selected after the preliminary stage. The second stage Examination was held in Lucknow from 28th June 2024 to 18th July, 2024. Among these candidates, only 4,240 candidates appeared in skill based test. Even with such big number of candidates, no one bore out the mandatory shorthand qualification criteria.
What will happen to 331 APS vacancies now
Having no one coming good in the second stage, UPPSC has decided to retain all 331 vacancies. This will mean that these posts will remain vacant for the current recruitment and can be included in a future recruitment notification from the Commission. The decision is likely to affect departments of the government awaiting appointments through the APS recruitment scheme.
What made Hindi shorthand important in APS recruitment
Candidates appearing for the additional private secretary position need to be good at official dictation, correspondence, and administrative paperwork. Thus, candidates need to have good skills in Hindi shorthand. The rules of the commission for hiring candidates for the job mention a minimum speed at which the candidate should be familiar with shorthand so that they fulfil the post’s required skills competently.
The latest result shows that many candidates face the risk of not qualifying for employment in spite of clearing all written examinations.
What can candidates do next
UPPSC has notified the candidates that scorecards will be posted on its official website soon. Candidates need to refer to official notifications for details on scorecards, selection or recruitment and future posts of APS recruitment. The remarkably astonishing result has made the UPPSC APS 2023 recruitment one of those few exams that thousands appeared for the last phase, with nobody proceeding further.
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Radhika is a journalist with two years of experience covering education, competitive exams, and student-focused developments. She reports on exam notifications, results, admissions, scholarships, and academic policies, helping students stay updated with important information.
Known for her clear and reader-friendly writing, she simplifies complex education updates into accessible stories that guide aspirants, students, and parents. She is also interested in highlighting inspiring student journeys and grassroots education initiatives.
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