UPSC ASPIRANTS TO GET ANOTHER CHANCE: GOVT
NEW DELHI: The government offered to provide an extra chance for civil services aspirants to appear for the exam conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), as long as they have age on their side, a move that could benefit around 3,300 candidates.
Currently, candidates in the general category can appear up to six times in the exam, with an age limit of 32 years; for those belonging to the scheduled castes and tribes, there is no limit on the number of attempts and the age limit is 37 years.
NEW DELHI: The government offered to provide an extra chance for civil services aspirants to appear for the exam conducted by the UPSC, as long as they have age on their side, a move that could benefit around 3,300 candidates.
Currently, candidates in the general category can appear up to six times in the exam, with an age limit of 32 years; for those belonging to the scheduled castes and tribes, there is no limit on the number of attempts and the age limit is 37 years.
The government’s offer, explained in a note submitted to the Supreme Court, which is hearing a case on this issue, is to allow a seventh attempt, as a one-off, in 2021, to those who have exhausted all their shots at the exam, and are not over the age limit.
At least 100 candidates approached the Supreme Court seeking an extra chance citing the Covid-19 pandemic. Many of the petitioners were frontline workers, and contended they did not get sufficient time to prepare. Some of the petitioners were from far flung areas who claimed they could not access study material due to poor internet connectivity. Every year, around 400,000 aspirants appear for the civil services examinations, which is the route into India’s government services.
Adopting a compassionate view, a bench of the apex court headed by justice AM Khanwilkar, on January 22, asked the Centre and UPSC to take a considerate approach and grant an extra chance to the petitioners as a one-time exception.
On January 25, the government came back with a reply that it was not inclined to grant an extra chance since this would amount to extending “differential treatment” to similarly placed candidates.