UPSC Objects to Plea Seeking Postponement of Civil Service Exam, SC Demands Affidavit by Tomorrrow

The Supreme Court will once again hear the plea seeking postponement of the upcoming Civil Services Examination, 2020 on Wednesday. The exam which is scheduled on October 4 cannot be postponed over the coronavirus crisis, UPSC told the Supreme Court.

The bench comprising Justices AM Khanwilkar, BR Gavai, and Krishna Murari has directed the UPSC to file its affidavit in the case by tomorrow.

Twenty civil services aspirants had approached the Supreme Court, seeking the crucial exam to be deferred by two to three months due to the flood situation in several parts of the country along with the coronavirus crisis. The exam, which was earlier scheduled on May 31, was rescheduled to October 4 due to the pandemic.

Seeking postponement of the exam, the aspirants told media 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 delay or loss of academic session.

Another argument by the petitioners was several frontline workers who were also aspirants for the civil services stated they could not get enough time to prepare due to the crisis, while others managed to stay home and prepare well.

However, despite the unprecedented public health crisis, in the past few months several other important exams, including the NEET medical entrance exam and the JEE which too were postponed due to pandemic, have already been conducted.