COVID Impacted UPSC Aspirants demand Compensatory Attempt

New Delhi [India], May 05: The Civil Services Exam, being the toughest in the country, not only requires physical means to prepare but also requires an environment conducive to mental health so that the candidates can attend to their preparation with 100 percent possible concentration. Covid has affected the mental health of many candidates.

Aspirants have faced various hindrances in preparation and appearing in the exams.  The country and its several areas suffered a complete shutdown on account of the Covid 19 pandemic. Many candidates have faced personal, physical, psychological, emotional, and financial hindrances. Few of them are acting as Covid warriors who have had to remain in long periods of isolation. Aspirants include several Covid Warriors namely Dr. Shailaja and Dr. Vidya who were treating the Covid patients, and persons engaged in essential services, Ajay Kumar who works in Police Department gave his services during the pandemic, these aspirants have worked incessantly and exhausted themselves in the service of the nation and its people.

People in essential services had to face overwhelming hardship as many of them could not obtain leave for the reason of pandemic. With many other personnel on leave, they had to take extra responsibility. They were completely cut off from the competitive environment and were unable to focus. Candidates also include several candidates who reside in remotest areas and far away from their respective centers and these remote areas hardly have proper access to the internet and materials for study.

In the northeastern areas of India, the connectivity of the internet is not the same as in the urban areas, and therefore, candidates hailing from the northeast region have suffered a serious setback in preparation for the CSE. Married women and working women had the extra burden of managing household chores, family, children, and their office work. Certain candidates also suffered huge economic losses. There are UPSC aspirants whose family members contracted Covid 19 infection and survived, some suffered through bereavement of near and dear ones, an aspirant Nishant Tiwari from Uttar Pradesh lost his parents to Covid. Since the preparations are simultaneous for the Civil Services Preliminary and Civil Services Mains, there are candidates, who have cleared the prelims despite the odds. However, they are capable of a better shot at their last attempt as the CSE involves CSM as well.

These aspirants are not seeking to set aside the very conduct of the exams, but are only praying that because of the extraordinary, force majeure like situation, which was beyond the control of any of the candidates one additional attempt may be provided to them for appearing in the subject examinations.