UPSC candidates will not get an extra chance in Civil Services Examination, Supreme Court dismisses petitions

The Supreme Court in its judgment has refused to grant relief to those candidates seeking age for the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination for which the age limit has been exhausted in the previous examination. The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed all the pleas of civil service candidates seeking an additional chance to appear in the Civil Services Pre Examination to be held this year. Let me tell you that due to the corona of such candidates, the last attempt was completed in the year 2020. Candidates seeking additional opportunity in the Civil Services Examination (Preliminary) include candidates who were in the role of frontline workers during the Corona (COVID-19) epidemic. Therefore, these candidates had approached the court for additional opportunities.

Justices AM Khanwilkar, Indu Malhotra, and Ajay Rastogi announced that they dismissed all these petitions. A copy of this order will be uploaded on the Supreme Court website in a while. Let me tell you that earlier on February 9, after hearing the arguments of the petitioner, the central government, and the UPSC, the decision was reserved.

The number of petitioners is more than 100 who have been prevented from appearing in this year's examination due to age or a maximum number of attempts. Although the Central Government had initially opposed the petitioners and demanded an end to the proceedings, the Center had decided to grant a one-time waiver for candidates who exceeded their maximum number of attempts.

Candidates in the general category get six chances to appear in the Civil Services Examination till the age of 32 years. On the other hand, OBC category candidates get 9 chances till the age of 35 and SC-ST candidates get unlimited opportunities till the age of 37 years.

The court had asked the central government to consider such candidates whose age has passed. The petitioners had claimed that Corona could not prepare properly for the examinations in a busy routine during the epidemic. In the last hearing, the Central Government had told the Supreme Court that 34000 students completed their last attempt in the preliminary examination of 2020 Have done. So, if these candidates are given relief, then they will be eligible to appear in the Preliminary Exam 2021 and block the way for the candidates who will appear in this year's examination. When this happens, other candidates will also demand, and then it will become an endless cycle. Since this is a matter of policymaking, it is left to the government to decide the extent of efforts based on the course or age of the candidates.