UPSC Civil Services Prelims exam 2021 has been postponed
What's the story
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has postponed the Civil Services preliminary examination in the view of the worsening COVID-19 situation in the country, reports say. Earlier scheduled to be held on June 27, the exam date has now been shifted to October 10, the Commission has announced. Here are more details on this.
Details
The Commission issued the notification today
"Due to the prevailing conditions caused by the Novel Corona Virus (COVID-19), the Union Public Service Commission has deferred the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, 2021, which was scheduled to be held on 27th June, 2021 (sic)," the UPSC has notified. The Commission conducts Civil Services examinations annually in three stages - Preliminary, Main, and Interview.
Other exams
Other UPSC exams have also been delayed
The Commission has postponed some other exams as well. The examination for the selection of Enforcement Officers in the Employees' Provident Fund Organization (EPFO), that was originally scheduled for May 9, has also been deferred. Apart from that, the UPSC has delayed the registration process for Combined Medical Services exam, that was scheduled to commence on May 5.
Last year
UPSC exam schedule was affected last year too
Last year too, the UPSC exam schedule had been affected due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The preliminary examination was shifted from from May 31, 2020 to October 4, 2020. The main examination was also postponed and eventually conducted earlier this year. The interview was put on hold due to the recent spike in coronavirus infections all across India.
Situation
Recently, NEET-PG exam was also postponed
Other than UPSC exams, several other key entrance examinations also stand deferred. A few days ago, the government had announced the postponement of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Postgraduate) or the NEET-PG examination for four months. In the past 24 hours, India reported 3.62 lakh new coronavirus infections as a deadly second wave of the pandemic continues to ravage the nation.