UPSC civil services prelims deferred to October 4; mains in January

The exams have been postponed in view of the prevailing COVID-19 situation

UPSC Civil Services exam 2019 online registration deadline extended; check details Representational Image | Pixabay

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has on Friday announced the revised dates for the civil service examination 2020 on its official website after the commission held a review meeting where the prevailing COVID-19 situation was assessed. As per the new schedule, UPSC prelims, which was scheduled to be held on May 31, will now be held on October 4, in view of the prevailing COVID-19 situation. 

The mains exams will be conducted from January 8, 2021. The revised schedule has been published online on the UPSC website

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“Taking notice of the extension of several restrictions, the commission decided that it will not be possible to resume examinations and interviews, for the present,” a statement issued by the UPSC after a meeting on Wednesday stated. 

The commission, however, took note of the progressive relaxations being announced by the central government and various states, and has decided to review the situation once more after the fourth phase of the lockdown, it  said. The Centre had imposed the nationwide lockdown on March 25 to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. 

The civil services examination is held annually in three stages–prelims, main and interview–by the UPSC to select officers for the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and the Indian Police Service (IPS), among others. Lakhs of aspirants take the examination every year to be part of the coveted civil services.

As many as 796 vacancies were announced by the commission to be filled through the civil services examination 2020. A decision regarding deferring of the preliminary examination was taken on May 4 during a meeting of the UPSC to review the situation after the second-phase of the nationwide lockdown was announced.    

The commission has already deferred personality test for remaining candidates for the civil services examination, 2019; notification for the Indian Economic Service/Indian Statistical Service examination, 2020; notification for the Combined Medical Services Examination, 2020; notification for the Central Armed Police Forces Examination, 2020 and the NDA & Naval Academy Examination, 2020, it said.

(With PTI inputs)

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