UPPSC PCS (Pre) on December 22: Centres in all 75 districts
Faced with the challenges of holding the Upper Subordinate/Combined State (preliminary) examination-2024, commonly known as PCS (Pre)-2024, in a single day, UPPSC is now eyeing setting up centres at state universities, and engineering and medical colleges.
After the agitation by students over its decisions regarding the exam, Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) has now written to all district magistrates stating that it will conduct the examination in all 75 districts of the state on December 22. A copy of the letter, in which the commission requests for approval of exam centres at higher education institutions, has been seen by HT. It will be the first time when the exam is held in all districts of the state.
“So far, only intermediate colleges were chosen as centres for the PCS examinations. Due to a large number of aspirants applying for the test and, after the latest amendment in rules for setting up of centres, the Commission has decided to include higher educational institutions as places where centres can be set up,” said a senior UPPSC official on the condition of anonymity.
“PCS (Pre)-2024 will be held on December 22 in two shifts—from 9:30 am to 11:30 am and from 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm,” the official added.
In response to the UPPSC letter, Prayagraj district magistrate Ravindra Kumar Mandar has reportedly sent a list of 26 institutions where examination centres can be established, to the university. The list includes Allahabad University, Prof Rajendra Singh (Rajju Bhaiyya) State University, UP Rajarshi Tandon Open University, MNNIT-Allahabad, IIIT-Allahabad and MLN Medical College.
“As many as 5,76,154 aspirants have registered for the exam. The Commission needs about 1,758 centres to hold the exam in a day. When the examination was to be conducted in two days, UPPSC had received approval for 978 centres,” he noted.
Also, institutions where 1,000 aspirants will write the exam are likely to be divided into two blocks. Each block will have its own manager.
UPPSC will give priority to the institutions with better facilities and those that are easily accessible.
End of ‘10 km rule’
In light of the fact that PCS (Pre)-2024 falls in the category of a ‘special examination’, the state government has also ended the compulsion of examination centres being located within 10 kilometers of railway and bus stations, and a government treasury, officials said. A government order to this effect was issued previously.
A committee constituted under the district magistrate will ensure the selection of examination centers as per government guidelines.
As per the rules, each aspirant should be seated at a distance of 2 square meters. Under these conditions, Prayagraj will need 80 centres each with a capacity to accommodate 380 to 480 aspirants. UPPSC officials said that the list of examination centers and other arrangements will soon be made public.
