UPSC told Supreme Court that Exam cannot be postponed over coronavirus crisis, Exam scheduled on 4th October, 2020.

UPSC SC cannot
UPSC Civil Services Prelims examination 2020

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) told the Supreme Court today that the civil services exam scheduled on October 4 cannot be postponed over the coronavirus pandemic.

The court today asked the UPSC - the central recruiting agency for appointments to and exams for various civil services of the government - to file its affidavit by tomorrow and will hear the case again on September 30, 2020.

Earlier in notification exam was scheduled on May 31, that was rescheduled to October 4 due to the pandemic.

20 civil services aspirants had approached the Supreme Court, seeking for the crucial exam to be deferred by two to three months due to the flood situation in several parts of the country as well as COVID-19. The aspirants said that the civil services exam, being a recruitment examination, is completely different from an academic examination and in the event of its postponement, there would not be any question of delay or loss of any academic session.

The petitioners said holding the exams at a such a time "is nothing else but putting lives of lakhs of young students (including petitioners herein) at utmost risk and danger of disease and death".

One of the petitioners, the father of a candidate, told the court that his son is an officer with the government and that due to heavy work load because of Covid, he was unable to take leave and prepare for the exam, whereas the others managed to stay home and prepare well.