No negative marks in some exams of Railway Board

Not all employees are in favour of negative marking in the exams for promotion, as suggested by the Railway Board. This proposal has started to cause a rift between the employees at the junior and senior levels.

Following increasing pressure from the unions— which comprises maximum members from the senior lot or older generation—the Railway Board recently decided against the introduction of negative marking for some examinations.

In the past, the examination comprised descriptive type questions, with no negative marking. However, last year, objective type papers were introduced with negative marks, for the Limited Departmental Competitive Examination (LDCE), General Departmental Competitive Examination (GDCE) and departmental quota examinations.

While the negative marking system has been done away with for the departmental quota examinations, the senior employees who are totally against the negative marking system, want the same to be removed for the GDCE and LDCE examinations as well.

The younger employees, however, are of the opinion that the negative marking is a good practice. They feel that the senior lot is objecting to the practice simply because it is not used to it. They are also confident that over time the younger employees will definitely outdo the older generation when it comes to such exams.

The argument given by senior employees is that these exams are the only means for lower grade staff members to attain higher grades. Also, it makes more sense to have people with years of experience in the higher grades. That makes it important to make the examinations for promotions simpler.

The younger crop of top employees in higher positions, who made it into the Railways by clearing the UPSC examinations, do not find the arguments of the senior lot logical.