The Union Public Service Commission is all set to hold the Civil Service (Preliminary) Examination on Sunday. After much hue and cry and petitions, the Supreme Court, on Wednesday dismissed a petition which sought the examination's postponement. At the same time, it has allowed relief for candidates who are attempting the exam for the last time.
The exam, according to the UPSC will be held adhering to COVID SOPs (Expand). The candidates are asked to mandatorily wear face masks and carry their own bottles of sanitisers to the exam halls. They are also asked to maintain social distancing.
The exams are being held in 72 cities and 2,500 centres across 2 sessions, while the morning session starts at 9.30 am, the afternoon session begins at 2.30 am. Candidates have to bring a print out of their e-admit cards along with their original photo identity card, whose number is mentioned in the e-admit card. The examination centres will close ten minutes before the exam begins.
Due to the prevailing pandemic situation, the candidates were allowed to change their centres and according to the UPSC, around 60,000 students have availed this facility.
Prior to the Supreme Court verdict, a number of aspirants were raising their voice against the conduct of the examination, citing the rising number of COVID cases int the country. A Bihar woman even went on a 10-day-long hunger strike, demanding the same. DMK MP P Wilson too raised the matter in the Rajya Sabha, during zero hour.
