Thursday, 21 November 2024
Thursday, 21 November 2024
Accepting the demands of the aspirants, the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) on Thursday postponed Review Officer (RO) and Assistant Review Officer (ARO) exams, and announced to hold the Provincial Civil Services (PCS) preliminary exam based on the old pattern, an official announced outside the UPPSC office on Thursday.
Aspirants were protesting outside the UPPSC office to press their demand for holding the exams in one shift when the announcement was made.
The Commission also announced the formation of a committee to monitor the RO and ARO exams.
“The commission’s guideline is that only government educational institutions should be made examination centres and the centre should be within 10 kilometers of the headquarters. Earlier, when the paper leaked, these students raised the demand that private institutions should not be made examination centres.” UPPSC Secretary Ashok Kumar said. “These students are protesting when the government made guidelines after considering the demands of the students. For the PCS exam, 5,76,000 candidates are registered while centres are being found only for 4,35,000 candidates in all 75 districts. In such a situation, conducting the examination for two days is a compulsion.”
The announcement of conducting the PCS preliminary exam as before, brought happiness to some candidates. But those preparing for the RO and ARO exams appeared disappointed.
Aspirant Rahul Pandey mentioned that they would persist with the protest until a decision regarding the RO and ARO exams is reached.
“We do not trust this announcement as no official notice has been uploaded on the Commission’s website in this regard,” Pandey said.
Another aspirant said the government is following “divide and rule” policy and termed it a partial decision so that PCS preliminary exam aspirants leave from here.
Deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak said the government will work in the interest of the students and will also stand with them.
“Decisions will be taken in the interest of the students,” he said.
The Commission declared December 7 and 8 as the dates for the PCS preliminary exam, and December 22 and 23 for the RO and ARO preliminary exams.
A political row has erupted in Uttar Pradesh following protests by students. Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav raised the demand in favour of the students during his Prayagraj visit earlier on Thursday.
Yadav, who expressed solidarity with the protesters but refrained from joining the protest, attacked the BJP government for its inability to ensure smooth conduct of competitive exams in the state.
“This is the same government that promotes ‘One Nation, One Election’ but, in Uttar Pradesh, they cannot even manage to conduct exams for our youngsters,” he said.
Congress leader and Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi said that the state government’s attitude towards the students is “insensitive” and “unfortunate”.
“The attitude of the UP government and Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission towards the competitive students in Prayagraj is extremely insensitive and unfortunate. Non-transparent system in the name of normalisation is unacceptable and the students’ demand for examination in one shift is absolutely justified,” the Congress leader said in a post on X in Hindi.
UP deputy CM Keshav Maurya has also called for an amicable solution to the agitation.
“Under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ji, the BJP government has set an example of fair recruitment process by taking strict action against recruitment mafia since 2017. The government has shown its strong will by giving appointment letters to about 7 lakh youth. All competent officials should listen to the demands of the students sensitively and find a quick solution. Ensure that the precious time of the students is not spent in agitation but in their preparation. The pending cases in the court should also be resolved quickly so that the future of any student does not remain in the dark,” he said in a post on X.
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati urged the Uttar Pradesh government to ‘pay attention’ to the row, while focussing on streamlining the examination processes.
Earlier today, the protestors marched towards the UPPSC headquarters in Prayagraj and broke the barricades installed, breaching the security to reach the commission’s office.
The situation escalated after the officials installed roadblocks along the route to the UPPSC office to manage the crowd. The clash between the UPPSC aspirants and the police intensified after the protesting students alleged that the authorities used force to disperse the crowd.
Reportedly, several students were injured in the incident. The police detained the alleged miscreants who infiltrated the students’ protest.
Deputy commissioner of police (city) Abhishek Bharti told reporters, “Peaceful agitation of the students is going on in front of the Public Service Commission here. Some miscreants with criminal tendencies entered among 50-60 students and tried to stop the students who were communicating with the administration.” He said these “miscreants” were also trying to provoke the agitating students. The police have detained them, he said.
On Wednesday, Uttar Pradesh police registered an FIR against 12 individuals in connection with vandalisation during the protest from the UPPSC aspirants.
As per the officials, a few miscreants broke barriers and destroyed coaching boards on Tuesday night following which the police registered an FIR against 12 individuals.
