UPSC Prelims exam 2020 deferred amid COVID-19, Commission to review situation on May 20

In light of the Coronavirus outbreak, the UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination has been deferred 'until further notice', the commission announced on Monday. The exam was scheduled to be held on May 31, however, taking note of the extension of restrictions, the commission decided that it will not be possible to resume examinations and interviews in the present time. The commission has assured that it will ensure to provide candidates with a notice of at least 30 days before the exam. 

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Commission to review the situation on May 20

After holding a special meeting on Monday, the Commission also decided that the Indian Forest Service Examination, for which the Preliminary exam serves as a screening test, to be deferred to a later date. It has stated that the situation will be reviewed on May 20, and a suitable date shall be announced on the UPSC website in due course. 

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The Commission has already deferred the Personality test for remaining candidates for the Civil Services Examination, Notification for the Indian Economic Service/ Indian Statistical Service Examination, Notification for the Combined Medical Services Examination, Notification for the Central Armed Police Forces Examination and the NDA & Naval Academy Examination for 2020. 

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In the last week of April, Union Minister Jitendra Singh had assured candidates that the exam will be rescheduled and candidates will be given sufficient time so that they do not face any inconvenience in travelling to their exam centres. This comes amid the pandemic which has severely impacted regular life, including the academic year of students. Several educational boards have also postponed their term-end exams while some have passed students to the next class on the basis of internal assessment. All competitive exams for admission to colleges and universities have also been deferred for the time being.

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