UPSC postpones Prelims 2020 exams, admit cards to be released later

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UPSC postpones Prelims 2020 exams, admit cards to be released later
UPSC postpones Prelims 2020 exams, admit cards to be released later

New Delhi : The Union Public Service Commission on Monday announced its decision to postpone the civil services preliminary exam “until further notice”. Earlier, the examinations were scheduled to be held on May 31.

According to the latest update, the new dates will be decided on May 20 after an assessment of the situation. A meeting of the Commission, chaired by Arvind Saxena, was held on Monday to take the call to defer the exam with senior UPSC officials.

 “UPSC has done what needed to be done,” said an official privy to the developments. “In the current scenario where Covid-19 is spreading, it is not feasible to hold such a large scale exam.”

The Commission, the official added, has not taken a call on a fresh date for the prelims. “The date will be decided in due course of time after evaluating the situation,” the official added.

“The decision has been taken keeping mind the coronavirus pandemic and the lockdown restrictions,” a second UPSC official told Hindustan Times. “A fresh date will be announced after May 20.”

“From inaccessibility of exam venues during lockdown as schools had been turned into quarantine centres, to ensuring students had enough time to book tickets to reach the centres, the UPSC had to address a host to issues to be able to hold the exam on May 31, it would have been very difficult ,” said the second official.

The Commission was due to release admit cards for the students this week, but has decided to defer the process in view current crisis.

Nearly 10 lakh people register for the civil services preliminary examination every year. Nearly 1.6 lakh functionaries participate in conducting the exam across 2,500 centres.