Exam date row: Aspirants lay siege to UPPSC HQ in Prayagraj demanding change in format

Prayagraj/Lucknow: 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 diffuse 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.

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.

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.

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

Another student, Manorama Singh, claimed the commission’s decision to conduct the exams on two days is 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.

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. It supports the demands of the students and the youth," Yadav said in the statement.

The students were protesting peacefully in Prayagraj demanding the UPPCS and RO exams be held in a single shift, the SP chief said.

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

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.