24 IAS Probationers Failed Academy Exams Over Last Five Years RTI Reveals

An RTI reply has revealed that at least 24 IAS probationers failed one or more examinations during their mandatory training at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) in Mussoorie over the last five years. The failures, which include 14 cases recorded in 2025 and 2026 alone, highlight the academic hurdles faced by newly recruited officers, including those allotted to the Telangana cadre who must pass local language proficiency tests.

Probationers undergo a mandatory two-year training program at the academy before formally joining the bureaucracy. Out of approximately five lakh aspirants who attempt the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exams every year, only about 182 to 184 candidates qualify to join LBSNAA.

According to recently inducted officers, local language proficiency tests of their allotted states are among the most common exams where probationers face backlogs. A 2023-batch IAS officer from Bihar who was allotted to the Telangana cadre shared that they scored just three out of 20 marks on their first attempt at the Telugu language test, though they cleared it in a subsequent re-test.

An officer from the 2022 batch explained that many probationers experience academic fatigue and temporarily lose interest in studies immediately after completing the intense preparation required for the UPSC exams. Additionally, officers noted that the academy's curriculum and assessment standards have become significantly more rigorous over the last four to five years.

Probationers are tested on several subjects, including law, basic economic principles and the Indian economy, political concepts and the Constitution of India, public administration, and management and behavioural sciences. The minimum qualifying mark for each subject is 50%.

LBSNAA officials clarified that there is no limit on the number of attempts a probationer can make to clear these subjects, provided they pass all papers within four years of joining the service. Gautam Thapliyal, deputy director of LBSNAA, stated that while marks obtained during training are used to determine batch seniority, the overall pass percentage between 2018 and 2026 has been 100%. No probationer has been discharged or removed from service for failing academy exams.

The RTI data also revealed that 14 IAS probationers faced disciplinary action during this period, with six cases in the 2022 batch and eight cases in the 2025 batch. The disciplinary actions were taken for rules violations such as poor attendance, missing physical training sessions, and using electronic devices inside classrooms.