The aspirants fell sick with COVID-19 when tests were held
The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Friday informed the Supreme Court that it will not be feasible to give another chance at the civil services main examination to aspirants who fell sick with COVID-19 when the exam was held in January.
“A number of representations were received in the DoPT putting forth the same demand of compensatory/extra attempt... The matter has been considered and it has not been found feasible to change the existing provisions regarding the number of attempts and age-limit in respect of the civil services examination,” the Centre said in an affidavit.
The exam is conducted by the Union Public Services Commission (UPSC) annually in accordance with the Civil Services Examination (CSE) Rules notified by the DoPT every year for a particular CSE.
“It is also submitted that any relaxation to age-limit and number of permissible attempts due to COVID-19 pandemic could lead to similar demands being made by the other categories of candidates. It will also impinge on the chances of other candidates...” the DoPT, represented by Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, submitted.
The UPSC had, in a separate affidavit, informed the court that decisions regarding compensatory or extra attempt or age relaxation was a “policy matter”. It had said the DoPT would be the authority to take a final call on the issue.
Accommodating requests for a second opportunity would lead to a chaotic situation, says UPSC.
Both the DoPT and the UPSC argued that multiple chances were anyway given to civil services aspirants in case they lost an opportunity to take the exam.
