UPSC CSE extra attempt demand: Aspirants plan protest on December 19; contemplate filing fresh plea in SC

Aspirants of the Union Public Service Commission Civil Services Exam (UPSC CSE) demanding an extra attempt to clear the exam, have planned a protest on December 19. 

The aspirants are also contemplating filing a fresh petition in the Supreme Court. "There were discrepancies in the responses submitted by the government to the Supreme Court in the case that was filed earlier this year. For instance, the government said that they had taken all appropriate measures to conduct the exam in a fair manner. However, that is not the case. Thousands of aspirants were gathered at exam centres for the UPSC Mains exam in 2021, when there were still COVID-19 restrictions in place. The health of the students and their families was at risk. Students who tested COVID-positive were debarred from writing the exam and there were no separate arrangements made for them either," claims Gaurav Thakur, an UPSC CSE aspirant, who has been involved with this movement since it began in 2020. 

The aspirants also highlight the findings and recommendations of a Parliamentary Standing Committee led by Sushil Kumar Modi, a BJP MP in the Rajya Sabha. This committee submitted its report in March 2022 and urged the government to reconsider its stance against allowing a second attempt for aspirants of competitive examinations impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“Keeping in view the hardships faced by the student community during the first and second COVID-19 waves, the committee recommends the government to change its mind and sympathetically consider the demand of civil services examination (CSE) aspirants and grant an extra attempt with corresponding age relaxation to all candidates,” said the report. 

It was on the basis of the recommendations of this committee that the Supreme Court had asked the Centre to consider the appeal of the UPSC CSE aspirants for an extra attempt or age relaxation. However, in July, Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh asserted that it was not feasible to change the attempts and age criteria for the UPSC CSE. 

In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, the Minister said, "Based on the judgements passed by the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India, the matter was considered and it has not been found feasible to change the existing provisions regarding the number of attempts and age-limit in respect of the civil services examination," as reported by PTI.