The Supreme Court on Monday directed the three civil services aspirants to serve an advance copy of the petition filed by them seeking an extra chance to appear for the Union Public Service Commission’s (UPSC) Civil Services Main examination.
The three aspirants missed out the papers of the Civil Services Main Examination due to Covid-19. Aspirants moved to the Supreme Court in the hope of some relief, this matter is aimed at seeking an extra attempt only at the Mains exam and not UPSC Prelims exam.
The bench of Justices AM Khanwilkar and CT Ravikumar were hearing the case, they adjourned the matter to March 7, 2022. “List on 7th March. Let advance copy be served to the respondents” said the order of the top court.
The petition was filed through advocate Shashank Singh, it stated that petitioner 1 and 2 had to leave the exam in-between, after they appeared in initial two papers, while petitioner 3 couldn’t appear for any papers as he got infected with Covid-19.
UPSC Mains Examination was scheduled from 7th January to 16th January 2022, the petitioners had already cleared UPSC-2021 Prelims Examination and were supposed to appear for the Mains examination.
Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appearing for the petitioners argued that there is a difference between the matter related to Mains examination and Prelims examination in which the top court had rejected the petition seeking intervention of the court.
“The petitioners tested Covid-19 positive during mains examination. They could have suppressed and lied to attend the papers, but they didn’t.”
Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan
The petitioners criticised the policy of UPSC for not providing any kind of arrangements for the aspirants who got Covid during the span of mains examination or before it and said that it was violative of Article 14 and 16 (1950) of the Constitution of India.
The court will hear the matter on March 7, 2022.