UPSC Civil Services Aspirants May Not Get Extra Opportunity

New Delhi/Bhubaneswar: The civil services aspirants, who failed to appear in their last attempt in
the exams conducted by the UPSC last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, may not get one more chance as the Centre on Friday told the Supreme Court that it was not in favour of granting one extra opportunity.

A bench headed by Justice A M Khanwilkar took note of the submissions of Additional Solicitor
General S V Raju, appearing on behalf of the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).

"We are not ready to give one more chance. Give me the time to file an affidavit... last night I
received instruction that we are not agreeable," Raju told the bench, which also comprised justices
B R Gavai and Krishna Murai.

According to PTI, the bench has now posted the plea of a civil services aspirant Rachna Singh for
hearing on January 25 and asked the Centre to file an affidavit during the period and serve it to the parties.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had earlier told the bench that the government was considering the issue of granting one more opportunity to those civil services aspirants who could not appear in their last attempt for the UPSC exam.

The SC had on September 30 last year refused to postpone the UPSC civil services preliminary exam in view of the COVID-19 pandemic and floods in several parts of the country. The UPSC exam was held on October 4.

However, the apex court had directed the Centre and the Commission to consider granting an extra chance to candidates who otherwise have their last attempt in 2020, with the corresponding extension of the upper age-limit. The bench was then told that a formal decision can be taken by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) only.