The home department on Tuesday suspended the 10-km physical endurance test for recruitment to subinspectors’ (S-Is) post for 30 days. The decision was taken following the death of an aspirant on Monday. The government is planning to cut down the run to 5 kilomteres and add ball throw and long jump instead, sources said adding, the officials were seeking legal opinion whether the recruitment norms could be changed midway.

They cite an education department precedent in their favour.

The 10-kilometer run in 60 minutes was made mandatory for promotions and fresh recruitments (up to sub-inspector level) after the formation of the police recruitment and promotional board in 2010. Earlier, the aspirants had to run 5 km in 30 minutes and qualify other physical tests--- ball throw, push-ups, long and high jumps.

On Monday, an S-I aspirant Satyendra Singh Yadav, a resident of Faizabad, died while completing the run at Lucknow reserve police lines during the recruitment process.

He suffered a heart attack and collapsed on the field.

At least four police constables have died and around 150 fainted in various districts during similar recruitment drives (both for promotion and fresh recruitment) across UP during 2011.

The incidents had triggered a debate after four deaths in 2011 whether the mandatory 10-km run be made part of the police recruitment process or not.

The home department had called a meeting to discuss the issue after the same debate was reinitiated after the Monday incident.