Civil Services 2020 exams: UPSC, Centre get SC notice on plea seeking postponement of upcoming test

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday (September 24) issued notice to the Centre and the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on a plea filed by UPSC aspirants, seeking postponement of the upcoming civil services exam. The plea has been filed against conducting of the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination on October 4.

The apex court sought response from the Centre and the UPSC on the postponement of civil services 2020 examinations in view of rising cases of COVID-19 pandemic and floods. The petitioners sought the exams to be postponed for two to three months so that the flood/incessant rains go away and COVID-19 curve flattens.

A bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar and Sanjiv Khanna issued notices to UPSC, Centre and posted the matter for hearing on September 28, 2020.

The plea submitted that the decision of the UPSC to conduct the exam in accordance with the Revised Calendar, violates the rights of the petitioners and those similarly situated, under Article 19 (1) (g) of the Constitution to practice their chosen profession/occupation of serving the public.

The plea further said that this seven hours long Offline exam, will be taken by approximately six lakh aspirants at test centres in 72 cities across the country.

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By conducting the aforesaid examination across India at such perilous time, the UPSC will put lives of lakhs of young students at utmost risk and danger of disease and death, it said, adding that the natural calamities like flood, incessant rain, landslides etc. are likely to directly affect the life and health of the aspirants.

Notably, the Indian Civil Service Exam (UPSC IAS exam / UPSC Civils) is conducted in three stages:

1. Civil Services Exam (Preliminary)  – Objective Type
2. Civil Services Exam (Main) – Descriptive Type
3. Personality Test / Interview

The process of the civil services examination from the notification of the preliminary examination to the declaration of the final results takes place roughly within a year. The candidates who get selected are recruited and trained for various services by the Central government and then allotted different state cadres, as per their preference and ranking.

The notification for UPSC Civil Services Exam 2020 was published on February 12th, 2020. Aspirants can check further details on the UPSC's official website.