Press release
Idukki, Jan 14: Social workers have sent a petition to UPSC for inclusion of social work as an optional subject in civil exams.
Social work, as a profession, has found a significant position worldwide. In India, social work's entry may be traced to 1936 when academic institutes began including and installing the subject in firm ground. This is just an year after the Federal Public Service Commission, under the Government of India Act, 1935 was set up to oversee civil exams in our country.
Today in 2016, there are close to 150 colleges in India that teaches Social Work as a subject and thousands of students rolled out every year. Needless to say, Social Workers have been a boon to the society and have been serving from various capacities in Government Offices, Civil Societies and at an individual level to passionately and professionally help the vulnerable, deprived and affected individuals, families and communities and in bringing about justice and rendering help in nation building. However, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)-the constituted body in our country which manages the illustrious civil exams-is yet to recognize and include Social Work as an optional subject in its exams. This has become restrictive force that makes it difficult for Social Workers to access an entry point into civil services within the country.
In an earnest attempt to bridge this gap and to collectively represent this issue and press for inclusion, the Social Workers from all over India have started to come together and sign an online petition through change.org-an online portal for initiating Social Action-with a “Demand to recognize and include 'Social Work' as an optional subject in Civil Exams”.
This petition if it manages to succeed will be beneficial for the young generation of Social Workers who might be able to climb to better bureaucratic positions and affect a change positively in our country.
All that one needs to do to support this initiative is, follow the link attached below and sign on the petition to make a collective representation of this issue through an online platform. This will go a long way in making the collective plea visible and to help reach this message to the authorities.
Log on to www.change.org for more details.