Record low attendance: Only 41% present for PCS (Pre)-2024 across U.P.

The highest attendance was recorded in Sant Kabir Nagar, where 52.23% of candidates appeared, while Meerut witnessed the lowest at just 27.25%.

The Combined State/Upper Subordinate Services (Preliminary) Examination-2024, commonly known as PCS (Pre)-2024, saw a significant dip in attendance, with only 41.87% of the registered candidates appearing for the exam. Held in two shifts by the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) on Sunday, the examination took place across 1,331 centres in all 75 districts of the state.

Out of the 5,76,154 candidates who had registered for the exam, only 2,41,212 appeared (HT Photo)

Out of the 5,76,154 candidates who had registered for the exam, only 2,41,212 appeared, informed UPPSC deputy secretary Vinod Gaur.

This marked the lowest attendance in the last five years, with previous years having seen over 60% participation. Notably, the highest attendance was recorded in Sant Kabir Nagar, where 52.23% of candidates appeared, while Meerut witnessed the lowest at just 27.25%.

UPPSC officials said that no untoward incident was reported from any centres across the state during the exams. The exam’s management saw enhanced security measures, with live streaming at all 1,331 centres and biometric attendance marking.

Aspirants reported the general studies paper as particularly challenging, with numerous fact-based questions that left many confused. Experts noted the complexity of questions related to chronology and statement-reasoning, which slowed down candidates’ progress. On the other hand, the Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) paper in the second shift was considered balanced, with average difficulty in sections such as General Hindi, English, Maths, reasoning, communication skills, and decision-making.

Meanwhile, more than half of the candidates registered for the PCS (Pre)-2024 exam in Lucknow were absent. District magistrate Suryapal Gangwar confirmed that out of 28,513 registered candidates, 15,103 (52.9%) skipped the first shift, while 15,305 (53.68%) were absent during the second shift.

No reasons for the large-scale absenteeism were provided by the district administration. The DM stated that the examination was conducted at 64 centres across the district.

Gangwar visited several examination centres, including the Government Girls Inter College on Shamina Road, where he

said smart monitoring was done through CCTV and mobile jammers to ensure a fair examination.

To maintain a peaceful and cheating-free examination environment, 64 sector magistrates and 64 static magistrates were deployed across the centres.

In Lucknow, candidates reported that the question paper was different and more difficult than those of previous years, with several questions focused on government schemes. “It was not easy at all. The questions were very specific and different from the ones in past exams,” said one candidate after completing the exam at National PG College.