Protests erupted in Prayagraj as government job aspirants voiced discontent over the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission’s (UPPSC) decision to conduct the Review Officer and Assistant Review Officer (RO-ARO) prelims and Provincial Civil Service (PCS) prelims on different dates. The announcement, made on November 5, specified that the RO-ARO exam will be conducted over three shifts on December 22 and 23, while the PCS prelims are set for December 7 and 8.
Protest and Reaction from Authorities
Aspirants, holding placards with slogans like “We will not retreat until we get justice” and “One day, one exam”, staged a sit-in outside the UPPSC headquarters, defying police efforts to disperse them. Despite intervention by the district magistrate and police commissioner, the protest continued without resolution.
UPPSC Secretary Ashok Kumar addressed the students twice, explaining the logistical necessity for multi-day exams, especially with 576,000 candidates registered for PCS while seating was only available for 435,000. He highlighted previous candidate objections to using private institutions as centers due to security concerns.
Concerns Raised by Candidates and Support from ABVP
Protesters argued that if the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) can manage single-day exams, the UPPSC should be able to do the same. Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) supported the aspirants, urging the UPPSC to address their concerns. ABVP National Secretary Ankit Shukla emphasized that exam integrity must remain intact while accommodating candidates’ needs.
UPPSC’s Response on Centre Allocation and Exam Integrity
In response to criticism, a UPPSC spokesperson explained that the choice to limit exam centers to government or funded institutions within a 10-km radius of a district hub was to eliminate irregularities and uphold merit-based results. Past issues at remote centers necessitated these measures.
UPPSC reiterated that multi-day scheduling was unavoidable to maintain fairness and ensure the quality of exams, accommodating the large number of aspirants while preventing security breaches.
Conclusion: The UPPSC’s decision has sparked significant debate among candidates, balancing logistical challenges with fairness and exam integrity. The protests signal a call for revised strategies to align with candidate expectations while maintaining exam standards.
