 "Prayagraj student protests: What’s the furore over UPPSC recruitment exams?")
Protests by Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) job aspirants over the conduct of two exams have led to the government body announcing some changes. Protesters have been demonstrating outside the commission’s headquarters in Prayagraj since Monday (November 11).
The opposition has hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Uttar Pradesh government over the protests, which come ahead of the November 20 bypolls in nine Assembly constituencies of the state.
Let’s take a closer look.
Why job aspirants are protesting in UP
UPPSC aspirants have been staging agitation against the body’s decision to conduct the Provincial Civil Service (PCS), Review Officer (RO) and Assistant Review Officer (ARO) preliminary examinations in multiple shifts next month.
In a notification issued on November 5, the UPPSC said that if the number of aspirants for a recruitment exam surpassed five lakh, it would be held in multiple shifts.
There are over six lakh aspirants who will take the PCS preliminary examination. The paper was to be conducted in two shifts on December 7 and 8.
The RO/ARO examination, with over 10 lakh aspirants, was to be held in three shifts on December 22 and 23.
The exams are to be conducted only at government and government-aided schools in 41 districts. Earlier, these papers were held on a single day and also at private schools.
The commission also said that candidates will be assessed using a computerised formula for normalisation, which is based on the relative performance in each shift.
It had said the decision was taken to ensure the exam’s sanctity and for the benefit of the candidates.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsIn March this year, the UP government cancelled the RO and ARO preliminary examination held in February over allegations of paper leaks . After several delays, the exam was slated to be held in December.
A UPPSC official said that when holding exams in multiple shifts, “normalisation is essential to uphold the integrity and quality of the examination”.
“We are making every effort to explain to aspirants that the percentile-based normalisation method is for their benefit and helps prevent paper leaks,” the official said, as per Indian Express.
“In another step towards minimising malpractices, the commission has designated as exam centres only government or government-funded educational institutions located within a 10 km radius of a bus stand or railway station, and with no history of suspicion, controversy, or blacklisting,” the official added.
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UPPSC makes changes amid protests
The protesters are calling for the exams to be held in one shift and on a single day. They argue that question papers and their difficulty could vary when the same paper is held on different days. The students say this might lead to corruption, reported Indian Express.
They allege the normalisation process is a “strategy to exclude” deserving candidates.
On Monday, more than 10,000 students from different parts of the state gathered outside the UPPSC office in Prayagraj to protest.
Several videos of UPPSC job aspirants protesting surfaced online this week. Besides Prayagraj, students gathered at several locations, including Meerut, Lakhimpur Kheri and Lucknow, to agitate against the new rules.
VIDEO | Uttar Pradesh: Protesting students break police barricading outside UPPSC headquarters in #Prayagraj.#UPPSCStudentsProtest
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 14, 2024
(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/bmSzGYevKp
Protests were seen holding placards that read, “One day, one exam” and “Na batenge, na hatenge (We will not be divided, nor will we retreat).”
As per Indian Express, the Uttar Pradesh Police registered an FIR against 12 people for alleged vandalism during the protests.
On Thursday (November 14), the state government announced the PCS exam will be conducted in a single shift on a single day on the old pattern. The decision came after the UPPSC held talks with the protesters.
The commission also said a committee has been formed to examine how the RO-ARO preliminary exams will be conducted.
“Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath took cognizance of the demand of students in Prayagraj and asked the Commission to take necessary decisions by communicating and coordinating with the students regarding the PCS Preliminary Examination 2024 in one day. A committee has been formed by the Commission for RO/ARO (Pre) Examination-2023. The committee will consider all aspects and submit its detailed report soon,” the Chief Minister’s Office said in a statement.
VIDEO | Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) exam to be held in single shift, announces UPPSC Commission Secretary Ashok Kumar while addressing protesting students in Prayagraj. Here's what he said:
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 14, 2024
"Several paper leak issues in competitive exams have came to light… pic.twitter.com/RNkYMi0PEk
The changes announced by the UPPSC have, however, failed to pacify the concerns of job aspirants. They say they will continue the protests until all their demands are met.
“We will continue our protest until our demands our met,” Saurav Shah, a protester, told The Hindu.
“The normalisation process due to multiple shifts adds complexity. In some shifts, marks are adjusted upward, while in others they are lowered. This could result in candidates with lower marks being selected, while those who performed better may fail to pass,” Shah added.
“The government is misleading us. We are not moving from here till they announce that RO/ARO exam will also be held in one day, one shift. We have two demands, they have fulfilled one,” another protester was quoted as saying by NDTV.
With inputs from agencies
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