New Delhi: The Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) has partially agreed to the demands of students protesting in Prayagraj for four days against its decision to conduct the review officer or assistant review officer (RO/ARO) and UP provincial civil service (PCS) preliminary exams in two shifts.
On Thursday, the commission released a notification confirming a one-shift, one-day PCS exam and postponed the exam scheduled for 7 and 8 December this year, without providing a fresh date.
Moreover, the commission announced its decision to form a committee to submit a report about the issues with the RO/ARO exam. After that, it will release the notification for the exam. Over 11 lakh candidates will appear for the RO/ARO exam. The commission, earlier, contended that it does not have enough facilities to conduct the exam in one go.
Released in November last year, the RO/ARO exam notification set 29 January this year as the date for the exam, which was later postponed to 2 February. Students took the exam on 2 February, but it was cancelled after a paper leak. The RO/ARO exam was then scheduled for 22 and 23 December. However, students are currently demanding at least 60 days to prepare.
While students are happy with the postponement of the PCS exam, they demand clarity on the dates for the PCS and RO/ARO exams, and the number of shifts for both.
“The movement will end if the commission clears all the issues, or our fight will continue. Friends, we have won half the battle. Keep up the courage and enthusiasm. The time is not far when all our demands are met. The commission will deliver a clear decision. It will happen,” said an aspirant protesting in Prayagraj.
Nearly 10,000 students have come together in Prayagraj to protest against the decision to hold two-shift exams. Students argue that it risks unfair normalisation, where scores are adjusted based on variations in test difficulty across shifts.
“The commission has agreed to one exam but has not said when it will discuss the RO/ARO exam, which has not been held successfully since last year. They should release the RO/ARO exam date and give at least 50-60 days for the students to prepare,” said Anil Pandey, one of the aspirants protesting in Prayagraj.
Students protesting outside the UPPSC office in Prayagraj have clashed with the police several times. They have also been struggling to get food and water.
On Thursday morning, students broke down the police barricades and moved towards the UPPSC office. Later, the UPPSC released the notification agreeing to their demand for one-shift, one-day exams.
“Earlier, the commission proposed to take the exam over two days, but now, the UP PCS pre-2024 will be conducted in one day, just like it used to be before,” read the notification in Hindi.
The protesters have drawn the attention of heavyweight political leaders such as Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, and Akhilesh Yadav. All three have posted in support of the students on social media platform X.
(Edited by Madhurita Goswami)
Also Read: Madrasa teachers, administrators welcome SC judgment on UP law. ‘Tight slap on face of accusers’