After carefully reviewing the situation prevailing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on Wednesday announced to conduct the Civil Services (Main) Examination, 2021 as per schedule.
The examination is slated to be held on January 7, 8, 9, 15, 16. Keeping in view the restrictions and curbs being imposed by the governments to contain the disease, the Commission has also requested the state governments for ensuring that no inconvenience is caused to the candidates and examination functionaries in their movement, especially those who are coming from containment or micro-containment zone(s).
It is also advised if necessary, the candidates’ e-Admit Cards and ID Cards of the examination functionaries are to be used as movement passes.
The UPSC, in a statement, informed that the state governments have further been requested that public transport be made operational to the optimum level, at least on a day before the examination till the date of conduct of the examination from January 6 to January 9 and January 14 to January 16 for ensuring smooth movement of the candidates and examination functionaries.
“All the competent District Authorities and the Venue Supervisors have been provided the guidelines of the Commission for the conduct of the Examinations in these times of pandemic,” mentions the statement.
These guidelines mainly contain personal hygiene of the candidates and examination functionaries, maintenance of social distancing and wearing of masks by the candidates and examinations functionaries all the time, provision of sanitizers at convenient places in the Venue and to the examination functionaries, candidates to carry their own sanitizers in transparent bottles, sanitization of each Venue on regular basis, two surplus examination rooms for accommodating the candidates who would be coughing, sneezing, having breathlessness, feeling feverish so that they can take the examination under appropriate safety protocols.