A new appeal that was submitted to the Supreme Court on October 21, 2022, breathes new life into the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examination extra attempt controversy. Since 2020, this issue has been going on, and more pupils are joining in as time goes on. Students who made their final attempts in 2020, 2021, and 2022 are currently included in the group.
The Government of India (GOI) and the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) have not responded favorably to the demands of the students despite numerous petitions being filed, recommendations of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice (DRSC) in favor of the students, and the Supreme Court’s advice to be lenient. On November 11, the students are organizing protests in Delhi. The hearing for the most recent petition, which Sohan Kumar submitted, has been postponed; the new date is November 28.
Other lawsuits that have already been filed
In October 2020, the first petition Rachna vs. Union of India (UOI) was submitted, calling for an age relaxation and more attempts for applicants who had been directly impacted by the pandemic that year. But in February 2021, a three-judge panel dismissed the petition. The Supreme Court declined to get involved, claiming that the government must act on its conscience and that the matter is outside the purview of the court’s jurisdiction.
In the other cases, the Supreme Court urged the administration to adopt a lenient attitude while examining all relevant criteria and taking into account the current situation. The applicants were also urged by the court to appeal to the authorities for a second chance.
The movement also has a website, and one section of it lists notable Supreme Court rulings that favored the students. These are what they are:
- Examine the potential for a second try in the Vasireddy v. UOI case.
- The authorities have the freedom to take any position they choose in Rachna v. UOI.
- Abhishek Anand Sinha v. UOI: The situation can be viewed leniently by the authorities.
- giving instructions to the authorities to revisit the situation in light of the advice from the DRSC 112th report.
Background
Many candidates faced challenges as a result of the pandemic. According to Amulya, the pandemic has directly touched about 40,000 candidates. The Disaster Management Act mandates that individuals in need of basic minimum assistance receive it, and the government is fully empowered to carry it out. As a result, at the very least, the ineligible applicants deserve a chance.
The COVID-19 patients, Corona Warriors, Migrated Aspirants, Aspirants who lost their loved ones, Aspirants who lost their jobs during the COVID crisis, Aspirants in financial crisis, Homemaker women, Digital divide Impacted Aspirants, and many Aspirants whose stories are just lost in the COVID crisis chaos are listed as the candidates that the movement represents on the UPSC Covid Compensatory Attempt website.
Since there were no relaxations given in 2021, candidates have started organizing protests. Following the notice of UPSC 2021 released on March 4, the first round of protests occurred in March 2021. Both peaceful demonstrations and Twitter efforts persisted.
Additionally, the candidates met with lawmakers Rajnath Singh, Jitendra Singh, and JP Nadda, who assured them that they would be able to unwind when it was suitable. The promises, however, weren’t kept. According to the Supreme Court’s advice, “We also dispatched representatives to the authorities, but we got no reaction,” laments Gaurav.
A general two-year relaxation was suggested by the DRSC, which was led by Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Kumar Modi, in March 2022.
News Mania Desk
