The Centre told the Supreme Court on Monday that allowing extra attempt in UPSC civil services exam to those who could not appear in their last chance in 2020 due to the COVID19 situation would create a “cascading effect”, detrimental to the overall functioning and level playing field necessary for a public examination system.
In an affidavit filed in the apex court, the Centre has said that giving an additional attempt or relaxation in age for some candidates would amount to extending differential treatment to similarly placed aspirants at the examination.
The affidavit was filed days after the Centre had told the top court that it was not in favour of granting one more opportunity to civil services aspirants who could not appear in their last attempt in 2020.
“Therefore, any relief to the petitioner, apart from being meritless, would also result seriously prejudicing other candidates in the future.
“It is therefore respectfully submitted that accommodating the present petitioners would create a cascading effect detrimental to the overall functioning and level playing field necessary to be provided in any public examination system,” said the affidavit, filed by an under secretary in the Department of Personnel and Training.
In its affidavit filed in the top court, the Centre has said, “It may be noted that providing an extra attempt could further have a cascading effect by creating a ground for challenge on part of those candidates who have already appeared for the CS (Preliminary) Examination-2020.”
“At the outset, it is curious to note that the petitioners, who participated in the examination with open eyes, only approached this court after the results of the examination was declared. Be that as it may, it is submitted the UPSC made all the necessary arrangements for the conduct of CS (Preliminary) Examination-2020 on October 4, 2020, in a safe and efficient manner adhering to all the COVID19 safety protocols issued by the Government of India from time to time,” it said.
It said the UPSC had given an option to aspirants to change their centre for the exam to cater to candidates who would have moved to a different location owing to the pandemic
It said a total of 4,86,952 candidates appeared in the October 4 last year examination and the UPSC had “left no stone unturned in their pursuit to accommodate for the means and interests of the candidates.”
“It is further submitted that the contention by the petitioners that their preparation was hampered due to the stress caused by the prevailing COVID19 pandemic, does not hold weight as the UPSC had already given extra time to the candidates by postponing the CS (preliminary) examination-2020 from May 31, 2020 to October 4, 2020,” it said, adding that these conditions would have affected every candidate at the examination in a similar way.