UPSC civil services exam will be held on October 4.
Civil services exams will be held by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on October 4 after the Supreme Court today declined requests to postpone the exam. The top court, however, asked the UPSC to consider granting an extra attempt to candidates for whom this year's exam is their last chance.
A group of 20 Civil Service aspirants had filed a petition asking for the exam to be deferred because of the COVID-19 pandemic and in view of floods in parts of the country.
The Supreme Court said that UPSC may ask the states to help candidates arrange hotel accommodation by showing the exam admit card.
On COVID-19, the Supreme Court has directed UPSC to not allow more than 100 candidates in one centre and follow the standard operating procedures released by the government.
The UPSC has already released the schedule for the Civil Services exam, 2021. The official notification for the exam will be released in February and the exam will be held on June 27. "If this exam is postponed, it will have a cascading effect on the Civil Services exam, 2021," the UPSC told Supreme Court today.
The Court said that it can not ask UPSC to allow COVID positive candidates to appear in exam as it will put others in danger. However, it has asked the Commission to make separate seating arrangements for those candidates who have cough and cold.
On Monday, in a hearing held through video conferencing, Justices AM Khanwilkar, BR Gavai and Krishna Murari had asked the UPSC to file an affidavit by Tuesday. It had also asked the Commission to apprise it of the "logistical arrangements" made for the civil services preliminary exams in view of the alarming spurt of virus cases.
Selection to the civil services, which include the IAS (Indian Administrative Service), IFS and other Civil Services, is done through a preliminary exam, a main written exam and personal interview. For Civil Services 2020, the preliminary exam has not been held yet. The exam is scheduled on October 4. Candidates who qualify will sit for the main written exam and later, appear for the interview.
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