E-Paper
UPSC prelims 2022: Less than 50% candidates take exam in Ludhiana
Of the 6,866 candidates who had registered to take the Civil Services preliminary examinations at 21 centres in Ludhiana on Sunday, about half of them chose to give it a miss
Of the 6,866 candidates who had registered to take the Civil Services preliminary examinations at 21 centres in Ludhiana on Sunday, about half of them chose to give it a miss.
The exam was held in two shifts -- from 9.30 am to 11.30 am and 2.30 pm to 4.30 pm and all candidates had to appear for both shifts.
In the morning shift, only 3,414 (49.72%) of the total registered candidates took the exam, including 1,821 male and 1,593 female aspirants.
The number further dipped in the afternoon session, as only 3,264 (46.8%) candidates turned up, including 1,718 male and 1,546 female aspirants. In total, 3,602 students remained absent.
A senior official said that some students don’t return for the second shift, if they are not happy with their performance in the first one.
Candidates from across the state had reached Ludhiana to take the UPSC exam. A BTech student from Fazilka, Isha Jhamb, said that the exam was not easy.
Another BTech student, Amanpreet Singh of Moga, said he is confident of clearing the exam. “I always wanted to be an IPS officer and had been preparing hard. I am hopeful of getting through,” he said.
4 centres marked at SCD govt college
While four centres were marked at SCD Government College, Civil Lines, with total 1,152 registered candidates, there were two each at Gujranwala Guru Nanak Khalsa College, Civil Lines (576 registered candidates); Khalsa College for Women (768), SRS Government Polytechnic College (576) and Government College for Girls, Rakh Bagh (253).
At GCG, Rakh Bagh, one of the centres was for candidates with visual impairment; locomotor disability or cerebral palsy
Also, SDP College for Women, Daresi Road (384); Devki Devi Jain Memorial College for Women, Kidwai Nagar (384); Ramgarhia Girls College, Miller Ganj (288); Arya College (boys), Civil Lines(384); Police DAV Public School, Civil Lines (576); Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College (MBA Block), Gill Park, Gill Road (288); Nankana Sahib Public School, Gill Road (480); DCM Presidency School, Urban State, Jamalpur (384) and RS Model Senior Secondary School, Shastri Nagar (373) had a single examination centre each.
Heavy police deployed at all centres
Heavy police force was deployed at all centres to avoid any untoward incident. While police were seen controlling traffic outside exam centres, many candidates complained about no parking facility. For instance, a few candidates got into a heated argument with the traffic police staff, after they were not allowed to park their two-wheeler inside RS Model School. The traffic staff there said that school authorities should have allotted parking space.
Moreover, parents expressed their displeasure as they were not allowed to wait under sheds or trees inside most of the centres and were left with no option but to wait outside in the scorching heat.
Meanwhile, Aditya Dachalwal, joint municipal corporation commissioner, said that proper Covid guidelines were followed at all the centres. Students were not physically frisked and no electronic device including wrist watch was allowed inside the centres. According to administrative officials, jammers were installed at all the centres to curb cheating.
