Union Minister Jitendra Singh has deemed modifications to age limits and the number of attempts made inadvisable ill a significant announcement affecting UPSC civil service test applicants.
The existing rules for this coveted examination have been pronounced unchangeable by the union government, putting a stop to discussions over future revisions.
The civil services examination (CSE), conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), happens annually under the supervision of the government.
As one of the most competitive exams in the country, the CSE is a systematically structured exam with specific rules and guidelines that are stringently enforced, including restrictions on number of attempts and a fixed age limit.
In a parliamentary response, Union Minister Jitendra Singh, in charge of personnel, stated, "Based on the judgements passed by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the writ petitions filed by some CSE candidates and in light of the views expressed by the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee, the matter has been duly considered in the Department of Personnel and Training and it has not been found feasible to consider any change in the existing system."
The minister further stressed that the commission determines and announces the dates and venues for the preliminary and major examinations.
After the successful execution of the civil services (preliminary) examination on May 28, with a satisfactorily high number of 14,624 passed candidates, unsuccessful participants have taken their grievances to court.
This announcement comes as a disappointment to some but also brings a modicum of clarity for many students preparing to appear in the upcoming examination rounds.
