UPSC Civil Services Exams aspirants whose 2020 exam was last attempt to get extra chance in 2021

The central government has agreed to give the candidates another chance in the UPSC Civil Services Examination. The government has filed an affidavit in this regard in the Supreme Court. The development has come as good news for the candidates especially for those who had the 2020 civil services exam as their last attempt. SV Raju, Additional Solicitor General, appearing on behalf of the Personnel and Training Department (DoPT) submitted the decision taken by the center.

One extra chance for those who appeared in 2020 as their attempt

The petition on the petition filed by Rachna Singh, a civil service candidate, has been on trial in the Supreme Court (SC) for the past several days. The petition said that due to the Corona epidemic, many candidates could not appear in the UPSC Civil Services Examination in the year 2020 which was held on 4^th October 2020. So many were not able to give their best in the examination which took place under adverse circumstances.

They prayed for a direction to the Centre to provide them "one extra attempt...in addition to a number of permissible attempts, in view of innumerable, inevitable circumstances suffered by them due to Covid-19 pandemic, which prevailed in the entire country during the crucial period of their preparation and even on the date of examination, including but not restricted to rendering services as corona warriors, Covid infection to family members, suffering trauma physical and mental, lack of minimal proper infrastructure to prepare for the examinations, loss of income making it difficult to even survive during the pandemic".

The next hearing in the Supreme Court will now be held on Monday. This year's civil services exam is scheduled on June 27, for which the UPSC was to notify on 10^th Feb. But the apex court had stayed the notification till the hearing is completed.