UPSC civil service exams for preliminary stage 2021 initially set for July, deferred to October

In light of the troubling Covid-19 crisis in India, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on Thursday deferred the civil services preliminary exam to October 10th, which was set to take place in June.

The UPSC in a statement said, “Due to the prevailing conditions caused by the Novel Corona Virus (COVID-19), the Union Public Service Commission has deferred the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, 2021, which was scheduled to be held on 27th June 2021. Now, this Examination will be held on 10th October 2021.”

The Civil Services test was moved from May 31st to October 4th even last year. The mains written exam has recently been completed for the last year instalment. Owing to an increase in coronavirus infections, the interview was postponed.

The Commission has also gone ahead to postpone other examinations held by it as well, owing to the dilapidating Covid-19 situation in the country and the various constraints it has put on both the examiners and examinees.

The commission holds civil service exams in three stages per year to recruit civil servants for the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), and Indian Police Service (IPS), among other similar services.

The interview for Indian Economic Services and the test for Indian Statistical Services has been rescheduled as well.The examination for the Employees' Provident Fund Organization's appointment of enforcement officers, which was planned to take place on May 9th, has been delayed as well.