The Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission today chose to conduct a crucial recruitment exam in a single shift amid escalating political controversy surrounding the Prayagraj students’ agitation. Although the Provincial Civil Service (PCS) preliminary test will take place in a single day, the commission has chosen to form a committee to investigate the best way to conduct the exam for the recruitment of review officers and assistant review officers.
However, the protesting students have not been placated by the action. The state service commission has been accused by the demonstrators of attempting to quell the unrest. They have declared that they will not stop protesting unless the government agrees to administer the RO/ARO exam in a single shift.
The commission’s earlier statement that the two employment exams will be administered over two days in two shifts has sparked protests from the students. They have insisted on “one day, one shift” tests because they are concerned that having several dates and shifts will increase the possibility of paper leaks.
The commission had previously stated that the decision to administer exams in shifts was made to protect the exam’s integrity and assist the applicants. According to a spokeswoman, exams will only be administered at locations where there is no chance of anomalies. Only government-funded or government-run educational institutions that are within 10 kilometres of a bus stop, train station, or Treasury and have no history of suspicion or blacklisting are being designated as examination centres, according to the spokeswoman. It is for this reason that the commission had to opt for exams in shifts, the spokesperson said.
Additionally, the spokesman stated that because the tests are being administered over several days or shifts, a normalisation method will be employed to assess the findings. According to the panel, this was widely accepted throughout the nation and backed by multiple judicial decisions.
However, the students were not persuaded and intensified their protests, resulting in disorderly situations outside the Prayagraj headquarters of the state commission. In order to find a solution, the commission’s top officials convened today and made the most recent announcement. It has been learnt that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath intervened to make the decision.
The students have rejected this solution. “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,” said a protester.
Additionally, some students stated that the announcement has only been made verbally thus far and that they will not end the protest until both exams have been officially announced.
“We want both exams in a a single shift. Why are you setting up a committee? They basically want the protesters to go away. They want to weaken the agitation, but we are not moving from here,” a protester said.
A protester said, “There is talk of ‘one nation, one election’ and they can’t even hold an exam for 10 lakh students in a day.” Another protester said the latest announcement was part of a ‘divide and rule’ plan. “They want to separate PCS and RO/ARO. No one will go from here,” he said.
Others stated they didn’t want to include party politics in their protests after one protester began to criticise the BJP leadership.
Amidst the widespread opposition, the state commission’s judgement was made against a political backdrop. The opposition Samajwadi Party and the Congress have been attempting to corner the Yogi Adityanath government over the Prayagraj demonstrations, and nine Assembly constituencies in the state will cast ballots in the by-election scheduled for November 20.
Akhilesh Yadav, the leader of the Samajwadi Party, has stated that the “heartless” state administration ought to grant the students’ reasonable demands, if only for political reasons.
The Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission’s stance was deemed “unfortunate” and “insensitive” by Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. “Why should the students pay the price for the BJP government’s inefficiency,” Mr Gandhi asked.
The Yogi Adityanath government will be looking to tackle this agitation before it gets out of hand. Earlier, Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya called for an amicable solution. “All competent officials should listen to the demands of the students sensitively and find a quick solution. Ensure that the precious time of the students is not spent in agitation but in their preparation,” he said.
