UP Govt to hold PCS exam in single shift, disgruntled students continue protests

Amid an escalating political row over students' protest in Prayagraj, the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission on Nov 14 decided to hold a key recruitment exam in a single shift.

The students have been protesting for the past few days against the commission's earlier announcement that the two job exams would be held in two shifts over two days. They have demanded "one day, one shift" exams expressing fears that multiple dates and shifts will raise the risk of paper leaks.

While the prelims for the Provincial Civil Service (PCS) exam will be held in one day, the commission has decided to set up a committee to look into how the exam to recruit review officers (RO) and assistant review officers (AROs) can be conducted.

However the move has failed to pacify the protesting students. The protesters have accused the State Service Commission of trying to break up the agitation. They have said they will continue to protest till the government decides to hold the exam for RO/ARO posts in a single shift.

The commission had earlier said the decision to hold exams in shifts was taken for the benefit of the applicants and to uphold the exam's sanctity.
A spokesperson in a statement said they would hold exams only at centers where the possibility of irregularities is eliminated. He said that only government or funded educational institutions within a 10-km radius of a bus stand, railway station, or treasury, and with no history of suspicion or blacklisting are being designated as examination centers.

It is for this reason that the commission had to opt for exams in shifts, the spokesperson said.

According to the spokesperson, a normalization process will be used to evaluate the results because the exams are being held across multiple days or shifts. The panel said it was commonly used across the country and is supported by several court rulings.

But the students were not convinced and stepped up their agitation, leading to chaotic scenes outside the state commission's office in Prayagraj.
Top officials of the commission met on Nov 14 to find a way out and came up with the latest announcement. The decision reportedly was taken after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's intervention.

The students have rejected this solution saying the authorities have fulfilled only one demand. "The government is misleading us. We are not moving from here till they announce that RO and ARO exams will also be held in one day, one shift. We have two demands, they have fulfilled one," a protester was quoted as saying.

Some students said that it is only a verbal announcement so far and they won't stop the protest till an official notification for both exams is put out.
"We want both exams in a single shift. Why are you setting up a committee? They basically want the protesters to go away. They want to weaken the agitation, but we are not moving from here," a protester was quoted as saying.

Another protesting student said, "There is talk of 'one nation, one election' and they can't even hold an exam for 10 lakh students in a day." Another protester said the latest announcement was part of a 'divide and rule' plan. "They want to separate PCS and RO/ARO. No one will go from here,"

The state commission's decision amid the massive protest comes against a political backdrop. Nine Assembly constituencies of the state will vote in the Nov 20 by-polls and the Opposition Samajwadi Party and the Congress have been trying to corner the Yogi Adityanath government over the Prayagraj protests.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Nov 14 said the "heartless" state government should accept the fair demands of the students, if only out of political considerations.

Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha in a statement said the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission's attitude was "unfortunate" and "insensitive". "Why should the students pay the price for the BJP government's inefficiency," Gandhi asked.

The Yogi Adityanath government will be looking to tackle this agitation before escalates further. Earlier, Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya called for an amicable solution.

"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," Maurya said.