After four days of protests by aspirants, the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) today, November 14 announced its decision to hold the Preliminary Examinations for Review Officer/Assistant Review Officer (RO/ARO) and Police Clearance Service (PCS) recruitment in one single shift.

An official notice from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) read, “Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath took cognizance of the demand of students in Prayagraj and asked the Commission to take necessary decisions by communicating and coordinating with the students regarding the PCS Preliminary Examination 2024 in one day,” reports Economic Times.

The statement added, “A committee has been formed by the Commission for RO/ARO (Prelims) Examination-2023. The committee will consider all aspects and submit its detailed report soon.”

To recall, the UPPSC announced on November 5 that the RO/ARO and PCS exams would be conducted in three and two shifts, respectively.

The decision to schedule the tests on separate shifts sparked significant criticism and protests, with candidates claiming that it caused unnecessary confusion and difficulty. Even the Opposition, particularly Indian National Congress leader Rahul Gandhi extended support to the protests.

Aspirants staged protests and demonstrations in front of the UPPSC office in Prayagraj for the last four days demanding that the exams be held in a single shift.