Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission (MPPSC) faced significant controversy on Wednesday after releasing and then swiftly withdrawing the provisional answer key for the State Service Preliminary Examination 2024, held on June 23. The abrupt retraction came after it was discovered that the answer key for 19 questions in the second question paper, known as Set C, was incorrect.
The errors, surprisingly, were linked to questions based on a passage, where the answers were explicitly provided within the text. The entire series of answers to these questions was issued inaccurately, prompting the MPPSC to remove the provisional key from its website. The provisional answer key allows candidates to challenge any discrepancies by paying a fee of Rs 50 per question.
Typically, the MP PSC issues a final answer key after addressing all objections within a week, which then serves as the basis for the results. Experts clarified that while Set C is a qualifying paper, only requiring candidates to achieve a passing score, it significantly affects merit determination for the State Forest Service.
Adding to the complications, a question that instructed candidates to arrange mountain peaks in descending order was deleted due to an error in its English translation, which mistakenly asked for the peaks to be arranged in ascending order. This deletion means all candidates will receive equal marks for this question. The MPPSC has yet to make an official statement on the matter, but a revised provisional answer key is expected soon.
