
Sat Oct 04 06:21:08 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary of the text and a rewritten version as a news article:
**Summary:**
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has informed the Supreme Court that it will now release provisional answer keys after the Civil Services Preliminary Examination. This is a change from their previous policy of only releasing keys after the entire recruitment cycle. The decision comes after a petition filed by civil service aspirants who argued the delayed release of answer keys lacked transparency. While the UPSC’s announcement addresses future exams, the petitioner’s counsel has raised concerns about redressal for candidates who took the 2025 prelims, as no provisional keys were released then. The Supreme Court is currently considering comprehensive guidelines for future UPSC exams.
**News Article:**
**UPSC to Release Provisional Answer Keys After Civil Services Prelims Following Supreme Court Pressure**
**NEW DELHI, October 4, 2025** – In a significant move towards greater transparency, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has informed the Supreme Court of its decision to release provisional answer keys immediately after the Civil Services Preliminary Examination. This marks a departure from the UPSC’s previous practice of publishing answer keys only after the completion of the year-long recruitment process.
The decision was communicated to the apex court in an affidavit filed in response to a petition by Himanshu Kumar, represented by senior advocate Devadatt Kamat. The petition challenged the UPSC’s earlier policy, arguing that the delayed release of answer keys undermined fairness in the examination process.
According to the affidavit, the release of provisional keys will allow candidates to raise objections and representations, which will then be reviewed by a team of subject experts. The final answer key will be released after the declaration of the final results.
While the UPSC’s announcement has been welcomed as a step in the right direction, concerns remain regarding candidates who appeared for the CSE 2025 Prelims in May 2025. As no provisional keys were released for that exam, the petitioner’s counsel has questioned what redressal measures, such as re-evaluation or objection windows, will be available to those aspirants.
The case originated from a petition filed on August 11, 2025, by 28 civil service aspirants challenging the UPSC’s “opaque” answer key policy. A Bench headed by Justice P.S. Narasimha is currently considering comprehensive guidelines for future UPSC examinations, which include timelines for answer key releases and the handling of objections.
The decision by the UPSC is expected to bring greater clarity and accountability to the civil services examination process, a crucial step in ensuring fairness and transparency for aspiring civil servants.