Exam Date Row: Aspirants Lay Siege to UPPSC HQ in Prayagraj Demanding Change in Format

Prayagraj: Aspirants protesting against the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission's (UPPSC) decision to conduct the RO-ARO and PCS preliminary examinations on different dates laid siege to the UPPSC headquarters in Prayagraj on Monday, staging a sit-in at Gate No. 2 even as a large posse of police personnel tried to disperse the agitators.

Policemen deployed in and around the UPPSC office tried to stop the students from reaching Gate No. 2, but the large crowd jostled their way through, raising slogans against the commission.

The police even chased the crowd in order to disperse them, but the agitating students soon gathered again, defying the barricades put up on the roads to stop them from marching ahead.

The aspirants gathered there till late on Monday evening, lighting the torch of their mobile phones to express their solidarity, holding placards that read "we will not divide, we will not leave, we will remain united until we get justice", and "one day, one exam", among others.

On November 5, the UPPSC announced to hold the Review Officer and Assistant Review Officer (RO-ARO) preliminary examination in three shifts on December 22 and 23, and the Provincial Civil Service (PCS) preliminary examination in two shifts on December 7 and 8, drawing large-scale criticism from the aspirants.

One of the protesters, Vimal Tripathi, said, "It is very unfortunate that the commission issued a notification saying the RO-ARO and PCS preliminary exams will be conducted on two different days. We as students demand that the exams be held on a single day just like before." "The commission says it can conduct these exams only at the government schools in 41 districts because it has limited number of centres. It is unfortunate that the commission has only one responsibility (of conducting the exams) and it has failed in that as well. Why can't the exams be held in a single day across all the districts," Tripathi asked.

Another protester, Manorama Singh, claimed the commission’s decision to conduct the exams on two days goes against the rules.

"In the notification, the commission did not mention that the exams will be held on two days. The students want them to be completed in a single day," Singh said.

Ankit Patel, one of the agitating aspirants, also said the students want the exams to be held in a single shift just like before.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (City) Abhishek Bharti told reporters, "The aspirants and students have been requested to go to the designated dharna spot in the church area under the Civil Lines police station to stage their protest in a peaceful and democratic manner. Their point of view will be conveyed to the higher officials." "Many students have already gone there, but some of them are still protesting in front of the commission office," the DCP said.

Meanwhile, condemning the police "highhandedness", Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav termed the BJP government in the state "anti-youth" and "anti-student".

In a statement issued by the party, Yadav claimed when the candidates raised the demand to stop "rigging" in UPPCS exams in Prayagraj, the "corrupt" BJP government turned violent.

"The BJP does not intend to give jobs to the youth. Jobs and employment are not part of their agenda. It has betrayed the youth with their anti-youth policies. But the Samajwadi Party is with the youth and the students and supports their demands," Yadav said in the statement.

"The democratic rights of the students and the youth are being snatched away under the dictatorship of the Yogi (Adityanath) government," he added.

Yadav also took to X and claimed, "Now, the tricolour will wave in every hand! The atrocities of BJP will not be tolerated! The anti-youth BJP's lathi charge on girl students is a highly condemnable act. We are with the youth!" On Sunday, aspirants of various competitive examinations conducted by the UPPSC had warned of a protest in front of its Prayagraj office on Monday.