New Delhi [India], November 14 : The Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) has bowed to pressure from protesters, announcing that its preliminary examinations will now be held in a single day and single shift.
This decision comes after hundreds of aspirants staged a protest outside the UPPSC office in Prayagraj, demanding changes to the exam format. The protesters claimed that the previous format, which spanned multiple days and shifts, was unfair and prone to discrepancies.
The Opposition, led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, has supported the protesters, criticizing the UP government's initial response as "insensitive."
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party praised UP CM Yogi Adityanath after the state government decided to hold the recruitment exam in a single shift, whereas the opposition leaders extended their support to the protest of the UPPSC aspirants and said that their demands were right.
Amid a growing political row over the students' protest in Prayagraj, the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission today decided to hold a key recruitment exam in a single shift.
"In view of the speciality of the Combined State/Senior Subordinate Service Examination, it has been decided in principle by the Commission to conduct it in one day as before," UPPSC stated.
The UPPSC said that a committee has been constituted by the Commission to conduct integrated research and analysis of all the facts.
"It is hereby informed that in view of the number of 10,76,004 candidates in respect of Review Officer / Assistant Review Officer etc. (Pre.) Examination-2023, a committee has been constituted by the Commission to conduct integrated research and analysis of all the facts with the aim of conducting the selection process in a transparent, qualitative and fair manner, which will submit its detailed report at the earliest after considering all the aspects," UPPSC stated in a notice.
Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak said that the state government is ensuring the interests of the students.
"The problem has been resolved. The state government is ensuring the interests of the students. The demands of the students have been met and the state government will ensure that the students don't face any problems," Pathak said.
BJP MP Dinesh Sharma said that a big step is being taken by the Chief Minister in the student's interest
"This is a big step taken by the CM in the student's interest...Opposition always finds issues to do politics... A committee has been formed by the Commission for RO/ARO (Pre.) Examination-2023. The committee will consider all aspects and submit its detailed report soon," Sharma said.
UP Minister Jaiveer Singh said that the CM took the cognisance of the students' issues and has taken this decision.
"Be it any subject, if the demands are justified, the CM takes quick decisions in all such matters. He took the cognisance of the students' issues and has taken this decision," Singh said.
Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya appealed to all the aspirants to be focused on their preparations.
"The aspirants were protesting demanding that the PCS exams be conducted in one day and one shift. The government has accepted the demands of the aspirants. I appeal to all the aspirants to be focused on their preparations...I extend my best wishes to them...We were always with them and will remain with them...During Akhilesh Yadav's regime, the students protesting were beaten and FIRs were lodged against them...Samajwadi party tried to influence the protest, we condemn that," Maurya said.
Meanwhile, UP Congress president Ajay Rai congratulated the students and said that the commission that the government are running has failed.
"It is the failure of the government and the commission that they are running are failed. They have to take back this decision because of their own shortcomings. I congratulate the students," Rai said.
Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav said that whenever the government has to make any decision, it always keeps quiet.
"We support the protest of the (UPPSC) aspirants because their demands are right...Whenever the government has to make any decision, it always keeps quiet," Dimple Yadav said.
The decision came after several aspirants in Prayagraj protested outside the UPPSC office, demanding that the PCS and RO/ARO exams be conducted in one day and one shift.
Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath took cognizance of the demand of students in Prayagraj and asked the Commission to make necessary decisions by communicating and coordinating with the students regarding the PCS Preliminary Examination 2024 in one day.
Meanwhile, a committee has been formed by the Commission for RO/ARO (Pre.) Examination-2023.
According to the committee will consider all aspects and submit its detailed report soon.
One of the aspirants protesting said that the PCS exam will be conducted as it used to be conducted.
"The RO/ARO exam has been cancelled...But our demand is we want notice of that also and till there will be no notice on the website, we will continue to protest," protesting aspirants said.
Prayagraj DM, Ravindra Kumar said that the date of the exam (PCS) will be issued by the commission (UPPSC) soon.
Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission secretary Ashok Kumar met the protesting students.
The student aspirants have been protesting over 'single shift' UPPSC examinations for the fourth consecutive day broke barricades to reach Gate no 2 of the UPPSC office and continue their protest.
Students were seen sloganeering outside Prayagraj Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission office.
The students expressed their frustration over the UPPSC's failure to conduct exams on time for the past two years.
Earlier this year, in January 2024, the commission issued a notification for the Uttar Pradesh Civil Services exam, which was originally scheduled for March but was postponed to October.
Notably the Review Officer and Assistant Review Officer exams, planned for February, were cancelled due to a paper leak. The exam was later rescheduled for October, only to be announced for December.
Later the government decided to conduct the exam in two shifts after which this decision faced strong opposition from candidates.
Aspirants demanding that Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) exams be held in a single shift continued their protest for the fourth consecutive day outside the commission's office in Prayagraj.