E-Paper
UPSC exam: No extra chance for those who missed last attempt due to Covid
Seeking an additional chance in view of the extraordinary situation prevailing in the country due to Covid-19, several candidates had approached the Supreme Court demanding an extra attempt.
The Centre on Friday refused to offer an extra chance to those candidates who missed their last attempt in the UPSC Civil Services examination in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Seeking an additional chance in view of the extraordinary situation prevailing in the country due to Covid-19, several candidates, many of whom included frontline workers and those engaged in essential services, had approached the Supreme Court demanding an extra attempt.
They stated that Covid duties, serious economic and emotional stress due to the pandemic, and poor internet connectivity in far-flung areas were all factors that added up to deprive them of preparing better for the examination.
General category candidates are allowed six attempts till the age of 32 while for OBC candidates, there is relaxation upto nine attempts till they attain 35 years of age. Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST) candidates get unlimited attempts till the age of 37.
As the bench took up their case on Friday, additional solicitor general (ASG) SV Raju informed a three-judge bench, headed by justice AM Khanwilkar, that the proposal made in the petition cannot be accepted. Intimating the oral instruction received from the government officials late Thursday, the law officer told the court that the government had decided not to offer an additional chance to candidates who took their last attempt at the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2020.
The bench, also comprising justices BR Gavai and Krishna Murari, told ASG Raju to put this fact on affidavit and posted the matter for Monday.
Senior advocates Shyam Divan and CU Singh who appeared for the petitioners, more than 100 in all, told the top court that on September 30, 2020, this court had asked the Centre to explore the possibility of granting an exemption in age or attempts for last chance candidates.
The order stated, “We have impressed upon Additional Solicitor General SV Raju appearing for the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) and Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) to explore the possibility of providing one more attempt to such candidates with corresponding extension of age limit. He has agreed to convey the sentiments of the court to all concerned and to take a formal decision thereon expeditiously.”
No such decision was taken by the government. The candidates were left with no option but to appear in the examination, Divan argued. Some of the petitioners in the present round before the top court were party to the September 30 order.
“During this pandemic, while everyone had a choice to save their attempt by leaving the exam in 2020, while taking care of their health, the chance candidates were given no choice at all and had to sit for the exam, despite the lack of opportunity to prepare,” said the petition filed by advocate Anushree Kapadia.
