Not keen on offering another chance to UPSC aspirants who missed exam due to Covid-19: Centre to SC

Earlier, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had told the bench that the government was considering the issue of granting one more opportunity to civil services aspirants

The Union government on Friday told the Supreme Court that no extra attempt would be given to candidates who have exhausted all their attempts at the Civil Service examination on October, 2020.

At present, candidates from general category get six attempts till age of 32, OBC category aspirants get nine attempts till 35 and SC/ST candidates get unlimited attempts till 37 to appear in the civil services examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

Additional Solicitor-General SV Raju informed a bench presided over by Justice A M Khanwilkar that a decision has been taken on Thursday that no extra attempt would be given to the UPSC candidates who appeared for their last chance on October, 2020.

The bench, also comprising Justices B R Gavai and Krishna Murari, asked the Union government to clarify its stand in an affidavit.

The court posted the matter for consideration on January 25.

Petitioners Rachna and others sought an extra attempt for the UPSC Civil Services Prelims 2021 as some of the candidates failed to appear for the test due to the disruptions caused by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

The Union government had earlier maintained a proposal to grant extra chance was under active consideration following the court's direction on September 30.