In an important announcement that impacts the aspirants of the UPSC civil services examination, Union Minister Jitendra Singh has declared changes to age limits and the number of attempts made inadvisable.
The existing rules for this prestigious examination have been deemed by the union government as currently unamenable to alterations, bringing an end to discussions about possible changes.
AN INSIGHT INTO THE CSE STRUCTURE
The civil services examination (CSE), conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), happens annually under the supervision of the government.
As one of the most competitive exams in the country, the CSE is a systematically structured exam with specific rules and guidelines that are stringently enforced, including restrictions on number of attempts and a fixed age limit.
NO FEASIBILITY TO ALTER EXISTING PROVISIONS
Union Minister Jitendra Singh, in charge of personnel, articulated his viewpoint in a parliamentary response, stating, "Based on the judgments passed by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the writ petitions filed by some CSE candidates and in light of the views expressed by the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee, the matter has been duly considered in the Department of Personnel and Training and it has not been found feasible to consider any change in the existing provisions regarding number of attempts and age-limit in respect of the CSE."
MINISTRY UNFAZED BY UNCONVINCED CANDIDATES
The minister further emphasized that the dates and locations for the preliminary and main examinations are predetermined and announced by the commission. After successfully organizing the civil service recruitment exam (preliminary) on May 28 with a satisfactory number of 14,624 candidates, those who did not succeed filed a lawsuit in court.
The announcement was a disappointment to some, but also provided a bit of clarity for many students preparing for the next rounds of testing.
