UPSC exam 2021: No extra chance to these civil services exam aspirants

UPSC exam 2021: In a major development, the Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed a plea seeking an extra chance for UPSC civil services exam aspirants who exhausted their last attempt in October 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A bench headed by Justices A M Khanwilkar said that it was dismissing the plea filed by a civil services aspirant for the extra chance citing difficulties faced in preparations during the pandemic, as per a report by news agency PTI. 

The Centre informed the top court on February 9 that it is against granting one-time relaxation on age limit to UPSC civil service aspirants, including those who had exhausted their last attempt in the 2020 exam amid the COVID-19 pandemic, as it would be discriminatory to other candidates. 

Attempts for UPSC civil services exam

The candidates from general category are allowed six attempts for the UPSC civil services exam till the age of 32; the OBC, nine attempts till 35 years and the SC/ST candidates unlimited attempts till they turn 37.

Centre had on February 5 told the apex court that it was agreeable to giving an extra chance as a one-time relaxation to those civil service aspirants who had appeared in their last attempt in the 2020 exam and are not age-barred. However, the bench on Wednesday dismissed the petition of Rachna and others.

The Centre had earlier furnished a chart in the apex court giving details of relaxation given by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) in civil services exams since its inception and had said that in 1979, 1992 and 2015 relaxations were given to the candidates due to change in patterns of the examination.

The top court on September 30 last year had refused to postpone the UPSC civil services preliminary exam because of the COVID-19 pandemic and floods in several parts of the country.