A bench of Hon'ble justices AM Khanwilkar, BR Gavai, and Krishna Murari will hear the petition on behalf of 24 civil services aspirants for granting an extra attempt in the civil services examination in the year of 2020. The petition argues that an extra attempt is pertinent due to the covid-19 situation their preparation has been badly affected and also because they will become age-barred next year. 

“For the present year, the petitioners' preparation has been disrupted on account of Covid-19 pandemic.”, says the Plea In SC. In view of the above, the petition wants dismissal of the decision of the center dated 9th September 2020, regarding the averments. Representation forwarded on behalf of petitioners seeking permission of one time age attempt relaxation in the civil services examination 2021, were not been properly considered. It was argued that the problems faced by the candidates have been duly recognized by the candidates in respect of their preparation in CSE–2020 in its notice dated July 1, 2020, and also demanded an option of opting out for students appearing in CSE-2020 was provided to candidates in order to prevent exhaustion of their attempts. 

The Plea In SC states, "However, while doing so, the UPSC failed to consider the position of persons like the Petitioners who cannot withdraw/opt-out unless and until they are also provided a one-time age relaxation". The petition averred that this will enable the petitioners in opposition to forego their opportunity in the CSE–2020. In this background, it was stated that the respondent's failure to take any clear decision on the petitioners' application, the petitioners are unable to decide whether they can forego the CSE of 2020 in order to appear with proper preparation in the CSE of 2020. “The Respondents have therefore acted arbitrarily in violation of fundamental rights of the petitioners guaranteed under Article 14 of the Constitution,” the petitioners state. 

The preliminary stage of the civil services examination was conducted last Sunday 4th October 2020.

This news is reported by Urvi Yadav