UPSC Says It’s Impossible To Further Postpone Civil Services Prelims

New Delhi: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) submitted before the Supreme Court on Monday that it is not possible to postpone the civil services exams 2020 any further.

Justice AM Khanwilkar-headed bench asked the Commission to file an affidavit stating its stand by tomorrow and posted the matter for further hearing on Wednesday. The top court was hearing a plea filed by a group of UPSC aspirants seeking upcoming Civil Services (prelims) Exam 2020 postponement, according to news agency ANI.

Advocate Naresh Kaushik, appearing for the UPSC, submitted before the bench that it’s completely impossible to defer the exam.

“The matter was considered and deferment was done, but it was realised that deferment would completely hurt the process of the exam. It was supposed to be held on September 30. Thereafter, it was deferred to October 4. Deferment would nullify the objective of conducting the exam for four arms of government,” the advocate submitted.

The bench then asked Kaushik to file a short affidavit listing down the logistical reasons for not being able to postpone the exam.

The petition has sought the postponement of the Civil Services Exam for two to three months in view of the flood, incessant rains in several parts of the country.

The COVID-19 curve may also flatten and the State governments, who are otherwise “admittedly unprepared” as of today, get more time to prepare themselves for implementation of Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs) of the Exam, the plea said.