3rd September, Wednesday: The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) has brought in a series of changes for the Combined Graduate Level (CGL) examination slated to take place in September 2025. In an exclusive conversation with Navbharat Times (NBT), SSC Chairman S. Gopalakrishnan said the changes are being brought into effect to eliminate persistent issues such as computer glitches, non-functional devices, Aadhaar verification delays, and exam centers located far from candidates' homes. The new initiatives, he said, will render the process more transparent, convenient, and equitable for all hopefuls.
Single-Shift Examination for Uniformity
The CGL exam will be conducted for the first time in a single shift. Previously, several shifts used to cause differences in question paper toughness, which created issues related to fairness. A one-shift system will provide all the candidates with the same set of questions, thereby providing a level playing field.
Centres Within 100 km of Candidate's Residence
SSC has also committed to providing exam centres within 100 km of candidates' registered locations. As of now, about 80% of applicants are provided near their doorstep, and the Commission will seek to raise this to more than 90% in future examinations. This change will go a long way in alleviating the inconvenience and travelling expense for the candidates.
Fair Scoring Through Normalisation
To further ensure fairness, SSC will also go on with its shift-wise normalisation process. This process normalises scores to balance differences in levels of difficulty between question papers so that no candidate is unjustly penalised.
Vendor Restructuring for Improved Exam Administration
One big administrative change arrives in the guise of vendor restructuring. For streamlining, SSC has split work among four committed vendors:
1. One to handle exam centres.
2. One for security arrangements.
3. One for processing online applications.
4. One for preparing the question papers.
Most importantly, the Commission itself will oversee question paper preparation directly to ensure quality, secrecy, and consistency.
With Aadhaar authentication now compulsory and these reforms in effect, SSC hopes to provide a more seamless and dependable experience. Chairman Gopalakrishnan described the steps as not merely addressing past issues but also restoring candidates' faith in one of India's biggest recruitment exams.
