News Analysis India

Tag: UPSC

  • UPSC releases final merit list of candidates qualified for the Combined Defence Services Examination

    By Online Desk

    NEW DELHI: UPSC has released the final merit list of 302 candidates who have qualified for the Combined Defence Services Examination (II), 2022, a press statement said.

    The exam is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and the interviews are held by the Services Selection Board of the Ministry of Defence. This is for the admission of 199 candidates to the Officers Training Academy, Chennai,  for 118th  Short Service Commission Course (NT) (for Men) and 103 candidates to the Officers Training Academy, Chennai, 32nd Short Service Commission Women (Non-Technical) Course,  commencing in October 2023.  

    The list of 118th Short Service Commission Course (NT) (for Men) also includes the names of the candidates who were recommended earlier on the basis of the result of the same examination for admission to Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, Naval Academy, Ezhimala, Kerala and Air Force Academy, Hyderabad (Pre-Flying) Training Course(s).

    The number of vacancies as intimated by the Government, for  118th   Short Service Commission Course (for Men) is 169 and for 32nd Short Service Commission Women (Non-Technical) Course is 16.

    The results of the Medical Examination of candidates have not been taken into account in preparing the merit list. The candidature of all the candidates is Provisional.  Verification of Date of Birth and Educational Qualification of these Candidates will be done by Army Head Quarters.

    Click here for the list.

    NEW DELHI: UPSC has released the final merit list of 302 candidates who have qualified for the Combined Defence Services Examination (II), 2022, a press statement said.

    The exam is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and the interviews are held by the Services Selection Board of the Ministry of Defence. This is for the admission of 199 candidates to the Officers Training Academy, Chennai,  for 118th  Short Service Commission Course (NT) (for Men) and 103 candidates to the Officers Training Academy, Chennai, 32nd Short Service Commission Women (Non-Technical) Course,  commencing in October 2023.  

    The list of 118th Short Service Commission Course (NT) (for Men) also includes the names of the candidates who were recommended earlier on the basis of the result of the same examination for admission to Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, Naval Academy, Ezhimala, Kerala and Air Force Academy, Hyderabad (Pre-Flying) Training Course(s).googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    The number of vacancies as intimated by the Government, for  118th   Short Service Commission Course (for Men) is 169 and for 32nd Short Service Commission Women (Non-Technical) Course is 16.

    The results of the Medical Examination of candidates have not been taken into account in preparing the merit list. The candidature of all the candidates is Provisional.  Verification of Date of Birth and Educational Qualification of these Candidates will be done by Army Head Quarters.

    Click here for the list.

  • UPSC starts ‘one time registration’ facility for government job aspirants

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The UPSC has started a one-time registration (OTR) facility for government job aspirants who will now not be required to fill in their basic details every time they apply for different recruitment examinations.

    The aspirants, who wish to apply for any future examination of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), are required to register themselves in the OTR platform by filling up their basic personal information indicated therein.

    “A large number of aspirants apply for a host of examinations conducted by the UPSC throughout the year to select officers for different central government departments/organisations. The OTR platform will help them in saving time and make the application process easier,” a senior official said on Wednesday.

    Once the registration of an aspirant is completed, the information will remain stored securely in the Commission’s servers, the UPSC has said.

    An aspirant’s information will get automatically populated in the online application form of an examination for which she or he applies, it said.

    The OTR will be quite useful for the candidates as it will not only save them from filling in their basic personal details again for any subsequent examination being conducted by the UPSC, but also eliminate any possibility of submission of incorrect information by them as their basic personal details will be validated by the candidates themselves, the Commission said.

    “With a view to facilitate the process of submission of applications by the aspirants of its examinations, the Union Public Service Commission is glad to launch the ‘one-time registration’ (OTR) platform on the Commission’s website at upsc.gov.in and upsconline.nic.in on 24 X 7 basis,” it said in a statement.

    Since about 70 per cent of information of an aspirant in the OTR will automatically be pre-populated in the online application form of an examination, the time for filling or submitting an online application form will be reduced considerably, the UPSC said.

    Aspirants have been advised to peruse the OTR instructions and fill in the information with extreme care to avoid any complications in future, it said.

    The Commission has also issued Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) “with respect to attempts in the civil services examination”.

    The civil services examination is conducted annually in three stages — preliminary, main and interview — to select officers of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and Indian Police Service (IPS), among others.

    Candidates belonging to the General/Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) category are allowed six attempts, those belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC)/Scheduled Tribe (ST) are given unlimited chances, nine each to those belonging to Other Backward Classes (OBC) and for the Persons with Benchmark Disability (Unlimited for SC/ST), according to answer to one of the FAQs.

    “An attempt at the preliminary examination is considered an attempt at the civil services examination: If a candidate actually appears in any one paper in the preliminary examination,” it said.

    It is the primary responsibility of the candidate to keep a record/track of a number of attempts availed by him/her, the UPSC said, responding to a FAQ as to how would an aspirant knows the number of attempts already availed by him/her in the civil services examination? The number of attempts availed by a candidate in the civil services examination is checked/verified from the available data/records with the Commission at the appropriate stage of this examination, it said.

    In all cases of misleading information on a number of attempts availed by the candidates, the Commission cancels the candidature of the said erring candidates for that particular civil services examination and also debars them for 10 years in respect of all future examinations/selections of the Commission, the UPSC said.

    NEW DELHI: The UPSC has started a one-time registration (OTR) facility for government job aspirants who will now not be required to fill in their basic details every time they apply for different recruitment examinations.

    The aspirants, who wish to apply for any future examination of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), are required to register themselves in the OTR platform by filling up their basic personal information indicated therein.

    “A large number of aspirants apply for a host of examinations conducted by the UPSC throughout the year to select officers for different central government departments/organisations. The OTR platform will help them in saving time and make the application process easier,” a senior official said on Wednesday.

    Once the registration of an aspirant is completed, the information will remain stored securely in the Commission’s servers, the UPSC has said.

    An aspirant’s information will get automatically populated in the online application form of an examination for which she or he applies, it said.

    The OTR will be quite useful for the candidates as it will not only save them from filling in their basic personal details again for any subsequent examination being conducted by the UPSC, but also eliminate any possibility of submission of incorrect information by them as their basic personal details will be validated by the candidates themselves, the Commission said.

    “With a view to facilitate the process of submission of applications by the aspirants of its examinations, the Union Public Service Commission is glad to launch the ‘one-time registration’ (OTR) platform on the Commission’s website at upsc.gov.in and upsconline.nic.in on 24 X 7 basis,” it said in a statement.

    Since about 70 per cent of information of an aspirant in the OTR will automatically be pre-populated in the online application form of an examination, the time for filling or submitting an online application form will be reduced considerably, the UPSC said.

    Aspirants have been advised to peruse the OTR instructions and fill in the information with extreme care to avoid any complications in future, it said.

    The Commission has also issued Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) “with respect to attempts in the civil services examination”.

    The civil services examination is conducted annually in three stages — preliminary, main and interview — to select officers of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and Indian Police Service (IPS), among others.

    Candidates belonging to the General/Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) category are allowed six attempts, those belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC)/Scheduled Tribe (ST) are given unlimited chances, nine each to those belonging to Other Backward Classes (OBC) and for the Persons with Benchmark Disability (Unlimited for SC/ST), according to answer to one of the FAQs.

    “An attempt at the preliminary examination is considered an attempt at the civil services examination: If a candidate actually appears in any one paper in the preliminary examination,” it said.

    It is the primary responsibility of the candidate to keep a record/track of a number of attempts availed by him/her, the UPSC said, responding to a FAQ as to how would an aspirant knows the number of attempts already availed by him/her in the civil services examination? The number of attempts availed by a candidate in the civil services examination is checked/verified from the available data/records with the Commission at the appropriate stage of this examination, it said.

    In all cases of misleading information on a number of attempts availed by the candidates, the Commission cancels the candidature of the said erring candidates for that particular civil services examination and also debars them for 10 years in respect of all future examinations/selections of the Commission, the UPSC said.

  • Family of Jharkhand girl who claimed cracking UPSC apologises for ‘inadvertent error’

    By PTI

    RAMGARH: The family of Divya Pandey, 24, who claimed she had cracked the civil services examination in her maiden attempt, on Friday apologised to the district administration and Central Coalfields Ltd (CCL), both of which felicitated her, as well as media for furnishing erroneous information of her success and said it was an “inadvertent error”.

    Conveying apologies on behalf of Divya Pandey (24), her family members as well as her neighbours said that it is actually one Divya P of South India and not Divya Pandey who cracked the UPSC examination securing 323rd rank.

    Priyadarshni Pandey, elder sister of Divya Pandey said her sister was informed by her friend in Uttar Pradesh that she had cracked UPSC securing AIR 323rd rank and “we tried to check result on UPSC website but internet was not working. It was an inadvertent error.”

    The family’s claims of Divya Pandey’s cracking of UPSC with the help of smartphone and internet without any professional coaching in her first attempt had led to the Central Coalfields Ltd Chairman cum Managing Director, PM Prasad and other senior officials felicitating Divya Pandey as her father was a retired crane operator from CCL.

    The claims had got widespread media coverage.

    Deputy Commissioner, Ramgarh, Madhavi Mishra who too had felicitated Divya Pandey at her office in the district collectorate termed it a “human error”.

    The Ramgarh officials aid they had not taken any action against the girl or her family in this connection.

    The family members claimed that there was no intention of spreading fake news or false claims and added that after finding out the truth Divya, a resident of Rajrappa colony under Chitarpur block of Jharkhand’s Ramgarh district has left for Delhi.

    “We apologise for this blunder,” they said.

    Chandreshwar Singh, area secretary of Coalfields Majdoor Union affiliated to Hind Majdoor Sabha and Divya’s neighbour said that due to internet failure the family could not verify the information given by a UP-based friend of the girl and her success story went viral.

    Divya, who had graduated from Ranchi University in 2017 had claimed: “I put in around 18 hours of study on a daily basis and read a lot of National Council of Education Research (NCERT) books.”

    Her father Jagdish Prasad Pandey, who retired in 2016 as a crane operator of Central Coalfields Ltd (CCL) had claimed that the success and hard work of his daughter had paid off.

  • No provision for holding re-examination in case candidate fails to appear in exam, UPSC tells SC

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The UPSC has told the Supreme Court that there is no provision for holding re-examination in case a candidate fails to appear in the test on the scheduled date for any reasons, including ailment or accident incapacitating him to take the exam.

    The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has filed an affidavit in the apex court which is hearing a plea by three aspirants who had cleared the UPSC-2021 prelims exam but could not appear in all papers of the main exam after testing positive for COVID-19 and are now seeking an extra attempt to appear in the exams.

    The UPSC said that any decision regarding age relaxation and compensatory/extra attempt in the civil services examination is a “policy matter” which falls under the domain of the Department of Personnel and Training (DoP&T).

    “The Commission usually holds 13 examinations apart from several recruitment tests during a year. In respect of these examinations, there is no provision for holding re-examination in case a candidate(s) fails to appear in the examination on the schedule date(s) for any reason including any ailment/accident incapacitating him or her to take the examination,” it said.

    “In past, the Commission has not held any re-examination under similar circumstances,” it said.

    The affidavit said the UPSC conducts the civil services examination strictly in accordance with the rules of examination framed annually by the Government of India in the DoP&T.

    It said over the years, a cycle has evolved involving recruitment, training and final appointment ensuring that the government gets its requisite manpower on time and any disruption at any stage has the potential of upsetting the entire cycle not only for once but likely to have “cascading effects in future as well”.

    The Commission said the matter of compensatory/ extra attempt has been adjudicated by the apex court in the past against the plea of hardships faced by the aspirants due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the same was not granted.

    It said the civil services main (written) examination 2021 was successfully conducted at 24 centres (cities/towns) on the schedule dates from January 7, 2022 to January 16, 2022 throughout the country following due COVID-19 protocols, which did not mandate making any separate arrangement for COVID infected candidates.

    The Commission said in order to perform its constitutional obligations to supply manpower to the government in a timely manner to fill the vacancies in the crucial positions, it is imperative that the UPSC follows its schedule of examinations which are prepared well in advance.

    “If the Commission is to make a provision for re-examination, it will hardly be possible for it to complete its any examination on time. This will entail complete derailment of the schedule of post-examination activities of a particular examination but will also have cascading effects on the schedules of other ongoing examinations as well as other exams to follow,” the affidavit said.

    “In fact, accommodating such requests will lead to a chaotic situation where no examination can be completed on schedule, as a result of which vacancies in government will remain unfilled for an indefinite period and the aspirants of the Commission’s examinations will also remain in limbo as to when the results will be declared or when the next advertisement for recruitment will be issued,” the UPSC said.

    It said the prayers made in the petition pertain to core aspects of eligibility which are well delineated in the rules framed by the DoP&T in consultation with the UPSC.

    “In the circumstances, DoP&T is also a stake holder in the process of conduct of civil services exam. Consequently, the views and stand of the DoP&T also may be considered in the interest of justice on the issues raised in writ petition,” it said.

    The Centre had on Monday told the apex court that the call regarding extra attempt to appear in the UPSC examination will have to be taken by the DoP&T. The top court is scheduled to hear the matter on March 25.

    While two of the three petitioners had to leave the main exam, held from January 7 to 16, in-between after appearing in some initial papers, the third aspirant could not appear in any of the papers due to COVID.

    The petitioners, in their plea filed through advocate Shashank Singh, have said that they tested positive for COVID-19 in the RTPCR test reports dated January 13, 14 and January 6.

    The plea has said the petitioners could not take the UPSC mains examination after testing positive for COVID-19 and owing to the restrictions imposed under the strict quarantine guidelines of the government.

    “Also, there was absence of any kind of policy of UPSC which could provide arrangements for such petitioners who were COVID positive during the span of mains examination or before it,” it said.

    “The petitioners are approaching this court under Article 32 and seeking a direction to the Respondent/ UPSC to extend them an additional (extra) attempt to appear in the examination or in alternate, make some arrangement to appear in the rest of papers which the petitioners could not give before the publication of result of civil service mains examination 2021,” the plea said.

    It claimed that absence of policy and no arrangement to accommodate COVID-19 positive petitioners to appear in the civil service mains examination 2021 have violated their rights, including that of under Article 14 (equality before law) of the Constitution of India.

  • COVID-19: Issue regarding extra attempt to appear in exams very complicated, UPSC tells SC

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The UPSC Monday told the Supreme Court that issue raised in a petition filed by three aspirants, who had cleared the UPSC 2021 prelims exam but could not appear in all papers of the main exam after testing positive for COVID-19 and are now seeking an extra attempt to appear in the exams, is “very complicated”.

    The petitioners have sought a direction to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to extend them an additional attempt to appear in the exam or in the alternate make some arrangement to appear in rest of the papers which they could not give, before the publication of result.

    The counsel appearing for the UPSC told the apex court that he needs to take instructions and place on record all the aspects before any decision is taken on the issue.

    “I think this is an issue which is very, very complicated. I think I need instructions and place on record all the aspects before your lordships, before any decision is taken,” the UPSC’s counsel told a bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar and C T Ravikumar.

    The bench posted the matter for hearing on March 21 and said that affidavits be filed by the parties before the next date.

    While two of the three petitioners had to leave the main exam, held from January 7 to 16, in-between after appearing in some initial papers, the third aspirant could not appear in any of the papers due to COVID.

    During the hearing on Monday, senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, who was appearing for the petitioners, told the bench that they had served the copy of the petition to the counsel for the respondents — the Centre and UPSC.

    While seeking two weeks to take instructions in the matter, the counsel appearing for the commission told the bench that interviews are slated to start only in April.

    On February 28, the bench had asked the petitioners to serve the copy of the petition to the standing counsel for the concerned respondents.

    The petitioners, in their plea filed through advocate Shashank Singh, have said that they were tested positive for COVID-19 in the RTPCR test reports dated January 13, 14 and January 6.

    The plea has said the petitioners could not give the UPSC mains examination after testing positive for COVID-19 and owing to the restrictions imposed under the strict quarantine guidelines of the government.

    “Also, there was absence of any kind of policy of UPSC which could provide arrangements for such petitioners who were COVID positive during the span of mains examination or before it,” it said.

    “The petitioners are approaching this court under Article 32 and seeking a direction to the Respondent/ UPSC to extend them an additional (extra) attempt to appear in the examination or in alternate, make some arrangement to appear in the rest of papers which the petitioners could not give before the publication of result of civil service mains examination 2021,” the plea said.

    It claimed that absence of policy and no arrangement to accommodate COVID-19 positive petitioners to appear in the civil service mains examination 2021 have violated their rights, including that of under Article 14 (equality before law) of the Constitution of India.

  • Will hear acting Maharashtra DGP Sanjay Pandey over plea for permanent appointment: Bombay HC

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court on Friday said it will have to hear senior IPS officer and current acting Director General of Police (DGP) of Maharashtra, Sanjay Pandey before passing an order on a petition seeking permanent appointment of an officer to the post.

    A division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice MS Karnik said that while earlier this week it had closed the matter for judgment noting that there was no need to hear Pandey, it has later come to the court’s notice that there are some direct allegations against the IPS officer in the petition.

    “While dictating our judgment in the case, we came across a few paragraphs in the petition where there are certain direct allegations made against Sanjay Pandey. In view of this, we deem it appropriate and necessary to implead Sanjay Pandey as a party respondent in the petition. We will hear him first and then pass our judgment,” the court said.

    The court recalled its January 25 order reserving the matter for judgment. The bench on Friday directed Pandey to file his affidavit in response to the petition by February 4. The Maharashtra government and the UPSC shall also file affidavits if they wish to, the bench said, posting the matter for further hearing.

    The court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by a city-based advocate Datta Mane seeking directions to the state government to make a permanent appointment to the post of the Director General of Police (DGP).

    Mane’s counsel Abhinav Chandrachud had argued that as per a judgment passed by the Supreme Court, the post of the state’s top police officer could not be an acting one and that an officer with the minimum tenure requirements as per the 2006 ruling must be appointed.

    The petition sought that the state government must appoint a DGP as per the recommendation made by the selection committee of the UPSC in November 2021.

    Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni, appearing for the state government, had told the court that Pandey, currently the senior most IPS officer in the state, had been appointed as the acting DGP last year after the then DGP Subodh Jaiswal vacated the post midterm following his transfer to the CBI.

    In the November 1 meeting of the UPSC selection committee, of which the state’s then Chief Secretary Sitaram Kunte was a party, the names of IPS officers Hemant Nagrale, Rajnish Seth and K Venkatesham were recommended for the post of Maharashtra DGP.

    Kunte signed off on the three names at the time, but on November 8, he wrote to the UPSC saying that it had erred in not recommending the current acting DGP Sanjay Pandey’s name and that it would reconsider the same.

    The court had earlier this week noted that Kunte’s conduct was not proper and not based on any legal principles. The bench had noted that it did not behove Kunte to have not raised a grievance or pointed out the error committed, if any, by the committee before signing off on the three names.

    Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh, appearing for the Union government, had told the court that once the three names had been recommended, there was no question for the UPSC to reconsider the same.

  • UPSC selects 31 private sector specialists as joint secretaries, directors, deputy secretaries

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Thirty-one private sector specialists were on Friday selected as joint secretaries, directors and deputy secretaries in central government departments, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) said.

    Those selected include three joint secretaries, 19 directors and nine deputy secretaries, it said.

    Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh said it is a major step to place the right talent for the right role.

    “As a major step to place the right talent for the right role, #DoPT announces 31 lateral entry recruitments, after due selection process by UPSC, as Joint Secretary/Director/Deputy Secretary in different ministries/departments of government of India,” Singh tweeted.

    The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) had requested the Commission on December 14, 2020, and February 12, 2021, to select suitable people to join the government at the level of joint secretary, director or deputy secretary in various ministries and departments of the government of India on contract or deputation basis.

    The UPSC launched online recruitment application for joint secretary and director level posts on February 6 and for deputy secretary level posts on March 20.

    In response, a total of 295 applications for joint secretary level posts, 1,247 applications for director level posts and 489 applications for deputy secretary level posts were received.

    Of these, 231 candidates were shortlisted for the interviews which were conducted from September 27 to October 8.

    The UPSC finally recommended 31 candidates for the appointment as joint secretaries, directors and deputy secretaries.

    Three joint secretaries would be joining finance ministry, commerce and industry ministry and agriculture and farmers welfare ministry.

    As many as 19 directors would be joining commerce and industry ministry, agriculture and farmers welfare ministry, finance ministry, law and justice ministry, consumer affairs ministry, food and public distribution ministry, education ministry, jal shakti ministry, health and family welfare ministry, road transport and highways ministry, civil aviation ministry and skill development and entrepreneurship ministry.

    Nine deputy secretaries have been selected for posting in education ministry, environment, forests and climate change ministry, statistics and programme implementation ministry, steel ministry, corporate affairs ministry, mines ministry, ports shipping and waterways ministry, heavy industries and public enterprises ministry and housing and urban affairs ministry.

    The personnel ministry had in June 2018 invited applications for 10 joint secretary-rank posts through ‘lateral entry’ mode — that is appointment of private sector specialists in the government — for the first time.

    Usually, the posts of joint secretary and director are manned by officers selected through the civil services examination and other tests conducted by the UPSC and other organisations.

    Niti Aayog, in its three-year action agenda, and the sectoral group of secretaries on governance, in its report submitted in February, 2017, have recommended for induction of personnel in the middle and senior management level in the government with the twin objectives of bringing in fresh talent as well as augment the availability of manpower.

  • Wearing mask, face cover mandatory: UPSC to civil services aspirants ahead of prelims on Oct 10

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Wearing mask or face cover, adhering to Covid norms on social distancing and maintaining personal hygiene inside exam halls and premises will be mandatory for all candidates appearing for the civil services preliminary examination on Sunday, the UPSC has said.

    Candidates, however, will have to remove their masks for verification, whenever required by the examination functionaries, it said in a series of instructions to the candidates.

    Candidate may carry his/her own hand sanitizer (small size) in transparent bottle, said the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), that conducts the prestigious test.

    “Wearing of mask/face cover is mandatory for all candidates. Candidates without mask/face cover will not be allowed entry into the venue,” it said.

    The civil services examination is conducted in three stages — preliminary, main and interview — to select officers of Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) among others.

    The civil services preliminary exam 2021 is scheduled to be held on October 10.

    “Candidates to follow COVID-19 norms of ‘social distancing’ as well as ‘personal hygiene’ inside the examination halls/rooms as well as in the premises of the venue,” the Commission said.

    Faculty members providing training for clearing the civil services examination advised aspirants to rely on their preparation rather than panicking at the last moment.

    “UPSC preliminary examination is scheduled for Sunday. Candidates must have a calm and composed mind as examination conditions have the ability to make brains run even faster. So, the candidates should have faith in their preparation rather than panicking in the last moments,” said Smriti Shah, faculty (sociology and Indian society) at ‘Vision IAS’ coaching centre.

    Kapil Sikka, faculty at StudyIQ.

    com (an online platform for providing training for the civil services examination), asked aspirants to focus on their strengths.

    “Be it quantitative ability or reading comprehension, candidates should try to be as accurate as possible in that. Keep a right balance between speed and accuracy. A wrong answer is of no value if done in a speedy manner to save time. Also a right answer is useless if too much time is taken to solve it,” Sikka said.

    The UPSC, in its instructions for the exam on Sunday, also said candidates should not be in possession of or using any mobile phone (even in switched-off mode), pager or any electronic equipment, programmable device, storage media like pen drive, smart watches, etc., camera or bluetooth devices or any other equipment or related accessories either in working or switched-off mode capable of being used as a communication device during the examination.

    “Any infringement of these instructions shall entail disciplinary action including ban from future examinations,” it said.

    Use of normal or simple wrist watches by candidates is allowed inside the examination rooms/ halls, the Commission said.

    “However, use of watches fitted with any special accessory that might be used as communication device or smart watches is strictly prohibited and candidates are not allowed to take such watches into the examination rooms/halls,” it said.

  • Jammu youth keeps his passion for art aside to crack civil services exam

    By PTI

    JAMMU: Suchiter Sharma (22) kept his passion for singing and painting aside to crack the civil services examination in his first attempt but plans another attempt next year to improve his 146th rank.

    He said the COVID-19 induced lockdown helped him a lot to concentrate on his studies and fulfil the dream of his parents, who are both teachers and an inspiration for him.

    ‘Kuchh paane ke liye kuchh khona padta hai’ (we have to lose something in order to gain something), remarked Sharma as he revealed how he kept aside his love for singing and painting to prepare for the gruelling examination.

    At least nine candidates from Jammu and Kashmir have qualified in this year’s Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exam and Sharma, a resident of Salehar village in Bishnah, came at the top of the list of successful candidates, mostly from Kashmir valley.

    Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and various others, including former chief minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, congratulated them for the accomplishment.

    “Heartiest congratulations to all those from J&K who qualified the UPSC exam, 2020. They are the true inspiration for our youth. I wish all of them a bright future,” the Lt Governor said in a tweet circulated through the handle of his office.

    Mufti, in a separate tweet, said, “Congratulations to all the hard working IAS aspirants from J&K who cracked this year’s UPSC exam. Wishing them all the best & success in their new endeavour.”

    “The process of UPSC election is exhaustive but not difficult where your morale sometimes gets high and down as well. After god, I am thankful to my parents and my younger sister who stood by my side and never made me think that I won’t achieve this feat,” said Sharma, who did his schooling from Army School, Ratnuchak with 94.8 per cent in Class 12 and his graduation from GGM Science College, Jammu with main subjects — Botany, Zoology and Geology — securing 86 per cent in 2020.

    The exam topper said he fell in love with singing when he was in Class 10 and started thinking of becoming a rapper.

    “I have written several songs and was also doing painting as well but gave up both to focus on the UPSC exam which was on my mind,” he said.

    Thanking his teachers for the guidance, Sharma said he was initially preparing for MBBS but later decided to work on cracking the UPSC exam.

    “I have some more attempts to improve my ranking and I will utilise this opportunity to get to the IAS post,” he added.

    Sharma, who appeared in the preliminary exam of IAS just five days after his BSc final exams, said he was already prepared for it as “Covid-19 induced lockdown had made things easy as he remained at home and focussed on the examination.”

    He said motivation remains the key to keep your morale high for the examination, which is very important for success.

    Lauding his friends Irfan and Zaid for their support, he said a positive environment is imperative for such an achievement.

    “Irfan is like my elder brother and Zaid is my batch-mate. Both of them expressed faith in me and motivated me all along,” he said.

    His father Madan Lal said he had never thought of such an achievement by his son at this young age.

    “I consider this a lucky moment of my life…Determination, hardwork and a clear goal is the key for success,” Lal said.

  • Latur woman with 15 per cent eyesight clears UPSC civil services exam

    By PTI

    LATUR: Among the 761 people who cleared the UPSC civil services exam 2020 on Friday was 30-year-old Pooja Kadam from Latur in Maharashtra, who achieved success with just 15 per cent eyesight.

    Kadam, from Taka village in Ausa tehsil here, secured 577th rank in the exams, this being her second attempt.

    She graduated from Fergusson College in Pune and did her post-graduation in Political Science from Indira Gandhi National Open University, Delhi.

    Kadam is the youngest of four sisters and her father is a teacher in a village school.

    The Union Public Service Commission on Friday declared results of the examination, conducted annually to select IAS, IFS and IPS officers, among other civil servants.

    A total of 761 candidates cleared the coveted civil services examination 2020, with engineering graduates Shubham Kumar, an IIT Bombay graduate, and Jagrati Awasthi, who completed B.

    Tech (electrical engineering) from Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology (MANIT), Bhopal, bagging the first and second ranks respectively.