Is The Use Of ChatGPT For Exams Acceptable? Experts Weigh In

The recently announced ChatGPT had already become the talk of the town majorly because of its evolutions and innovations. Ranging from writing code, content or text to generating an image, graphic or design, it is not leaving any stone unturned in surprising the netizens. However, these days, ChatGPT is in the headlines because most people, especially students preparing for Civil Services, are relying on it as their passion for serving the country encourages them to trust their capabilities and helps them resonate with the topic they study.

Aditya Srivastsa, the UPSC 2024 topper, revealed his mantra of preparation and becoming an Indian Administrative Services. He opened up about the UPSC preparation strategy and taking help of ChatGPT. He said, “Analysing previous years' papers apart from basic books was helpful. I also identified patterns of framing of statements in the question papers, apart from utilising all resources like PT 365 (a compilation of current affairs). I made optimum use of Google and ChatGPT.”

ChatGPT is beneficial in generating a series of practice questions ranging from MCQs, True/False Statements, Objective Type Questions or even Long/Short Answers. And justifying this, Bariya Mansoor, UPSC Topper, who secured AIR 424 in the UPSC CSE 2023 examination says that, “ChatGPT is useful for finding Previous Year Question (PYQ) answers. It efficiently answers complex questions, especially when we provide suggestions or manipulate prompts for examples. AI was very helpful for me because sometimes I had to put in a lot of effort to search for answers from books or Google, so AI saves time.” ChatGPT helps students with the study material that they want to study and enables them to test their skills and capabilities, based on the material.

ChatGPT is more than just an AI tool; it is evolving into a companion for humans, assisting in simplifying and solving complex problems. Its different models like GPT3.4, GPT4, LLM etc help in getting the responses, matching the suitability and relevance of their suggested prompts. Siddharth Sharma, Head of Digital Marketing at Rau's IAS Study Circle, says, “Given the ability of LLM models to create synthetic content (artificial content) one has to tread a measured path in using them in preparation. Firstly, GPTs can significantly reduce time in organising content. Besides, one may use them for reviewing one’s answers for clarity, accuracy, brevity and organisation. Another use is to get simplified explanations to unfamiliar concepts.”

On the other hand, Siddharth’s colleague, Arun Bharadwaj, Science & Technology Faculty at Rau’s IAS Study Circle highlights the importance of AI-driven results via ChatGPT in their academic and institutional tasks. He mentions, “As a digital professional, AI proves to be immensely helpful in our daily activities. For example, in our CRM, it reduces the risk of customer "churn" by identifying patterns of behaviour. Similarly, in advertising, AI helps us achieve a better ROI. Besides these, there are micro-level benefits like generating content ideas, structuring data, and so on. These are just a few examples. Overall, we can observe significant advancements in AI, as it assists humans in completing tasks in less time, allowing us to spend the remaining time thinking and building more effectively and efficiently.”

Pros

ChatGPT assists in researching various topics related to the UPSC syllabus, providing detailed explanations and clarifications on different subjects. It helps students in summarising lengthy study materials, making it easier for them to revise important topics before the exams.

ChatGPT’s easy writing assistance and updates on current affairs are effectively provisioning guidance to students specifically for the UPSC Mains Examination and Interview Kitty. Its suggestions for structuring essays, and suggesting relevant points, help students stay informed and updated on recent events.

“ChatGPT has revolutionised the way UPSC exam aspirants prepare, providing essential help and direction. Its wide range of knowledge and capability to produce precise and pertinent answers have furnished candidates with thorough study resources, clarification on difficult subjects, and exam-specific practice questions. Utilising simulated mock interviews, ChatGPT assists in polishing communication abilities and enhancing self-assurance, vital during the personality evaluation phase. Furthermore, its constant accessibility guarantees continuous learning, accommodating various learning methods and choices. With ChatGPT's assistance, UPSC candidates can navigate the exam preparation process more effectively, empowering them to succeed,” shares Shishir Dixit, Chairman, Centurion Defence Academy.

It’s also true that GPT assistants are killing and downgrading creativity. Though “AI can help in summarisation, collation of data and evaluation of answers and materials. However, the downside is the absence of creativity of the aspirant, which breathes life into the preparation and ensures success! Intelligence is all about creativity, adaptability and real-time assessment, so though AI tools can aid and assist the learning process, they can’t guarantee outcomes. That’s where the aspirant brings in his uniqueness,” says Aashay Managing Partner, Abhyankar’s IAS.

So, there would be nothing wrong with saying that ChatGPT is ‘Today’ and the ‘Tomorrow’ of today’s tech-savvy digital world. However, students must supplement their preparation with traditional study methods as well like textbooks, notes, and mock tests for a comprehensive approach to UPSC exam preparation.