Supreme Court today dismissed the plea for the postponement of the UPSC Civil Services examination, reports Times of India. The Court instructed the Commission to consider concessions for candidates who are on their last attempt and who might not be able to sit for the exam due to the COVID-19 situation, adds the report.
Advocate Naresh Kaushik appearing for the Commission submitted detailed steps that have been taken to make sure the well-being of the students are taken care of during the exam. He also said that Commission has written to Chief Secretaries of states to ensure public transportation is available for candidates.
The Court asked the Commission whether there are any plans for concessions for candidates who are on their last attempt or will cross the age limit. The Commission said that a proposal will be forwarded for the same for consideration, adds the report.
The Bench consisting of Justices AM Khanwilkar, BR Gaval, and Krishna Murari said that the postponement is not possible as it will have a cascading effect on the future exams. The issue of flood and transportation is not new and people have to move out of their comfort.
The petition by Vasireddy Govardhana Sai Prakash and others filed in the SC had said that the exam amid this pandemic and flooding situation violates the rights of the candidates under Article 19 (1) (g) of the Constitution to practice their chosen profession/occupation of serving the public.
The advocate representing the petitioner said that all libraries and coaching institutions have remained closed due to the pandemic and would have affected the preparation of several candidates. He also said that several aspirants are frontline workers and doctors who might have difficulty appearing for the exam.
The bench said that some of the points raised by the petitioner are individual issues and not public issues and thus cannot be considered. The UPSC will be conducting the exam on October 4, 2020 and the admit card for the same has already been issued.
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