Umamageswari Maruthappan
The Centre, on 1st February 2021, clearly stated its decision of not providing an extra chance to the civil service aspirants while disagreeing with the Bench’s suggestion to “remove the age-limit part for the time being.”
With respect to the Bench’s question on previous such instances, Additional Solicitor General S V Raju presented a chart containing details from 1951. The chart shows that between 1992 and 2015, there was a relaxation due to a change in exam pattern.
When the Bench insisted on making a similar relaxation, the ASG submitted that “there was no preliminary exam” at that period.
Senior Advocate Shyam Divan representing the petitioners requested the chart to be e-mailed to the Court. Later, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta pleaded the case to be postponed for a day or two. Accordingly, the matter is listed on 6th February 2021 for hearing.
A petition was filed before the Apex Court seeking directions to allow the UPSC Civil Service aspirants, whose last attempt had ended in 2020, to give an additional chance in the forthcoming exam.
It was pleaded that the Covid-19 pandemic had made it very difficult for the aspirants to effectively prepare for the exam. Thus, another attempt in this light could possibly help them from being prejudiced against other aspirants.
The Centre however, reportedly did not agree with the request and filed an affidavit in that regard. The Bench, being displeased by the manner of presentation of the affidavit, sought for a fresh one.