UPSC Civil Services: Will govt give extra attempt to aspirants?

New Delhi: UPSC Civil Services aspirants are demanding two extra attempts and two years of age relaxation as they could not focus on studies due to the financial and emotional impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

They are alleging that the first and second wave of the pandemic has disturbed their preparation as they were battling against the pandemic in one or another way. Frontline worriers including doctors were unable to focus on their studies as they were facing the stress of the work during the pandemic.

During the second wave of the pandemic, many were moving pillar to post due to scarcity of oxygen cylinders. It has also impacted the studies of the aspirants whose family members had contracted the virus.

Recently, they have even organized a protest at Jantar Mantar demanding extra attempts.

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On Twitter, many are sharing their views in support of extra attempts. One of them, Prof (Dr) Vijay Kumar wrote that frontline workers should not be penalized for standing by the country during difficult times.

Earlier, Manoj Kumar Jha, Rajya Sabha member wrote, “Repeating the same request @DoPTGoI after 8 months. Please do remember that Honorable #supremecourtofindia has also asked you to take a ‘lenient view’ of the concerns of thousands of students”.

Earlier stand of government on UPSC extra attempt

Before the outbreak of the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic, the central government had told the Supreme Court that it is agreeable to give an extra chance as a one-time relaxation to UPSC civil service aspirants, who had appeared in their last attempt in the 2020 exam amid the COVID-19 pandemic and are otherwise not age-barred.

In a note filed in the apex court, the Centre said that no relaxation shall be granted for CSE-2021 to those candidates who have not exhausted their permissible number of attempts or to those who are otherwise age-barred from appearing in CSE-2021 as per the prescribed age limits of different categories, or to any other candidate for any other reason whatsoever.

What govt may decide for UPSC Civil Services 2022?

The aspirants are demanding both extra attempts and age relaxation.

On the other hand, the government had earlier agreed to give one extra attempt without age relaxation.

For Civil Service 2022, the government may give an extra attempt but might not provide age relaxation.

However, no official statement has been made yet.