M K Stalin, the chief minister of Tamil Nadu, appealed the Union government on Tuesday to provide candidates for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) another chance if they have used up all of their options due to the COVID epidemic.
Stalin wrote the Parliamentary Standing Committee’s recommendations, saying that the committee “had also urged (to the Union government) to look after the demand of the civil service aspirants and to award one extra attempt with age relaxation to all candidates.”
The state’s civil service candidates met with MPs from various parties to discuss their concerns in Parliament and submitted the Union government a number of petitions. The Supreme Court has often instructed the Union government to be compassionate while providing an additional try under Regulation 4 of the Indian Administrative Service Regulations (IASR), 1955, in matters pertaining to this. More than 150 MPs from other parties also backed the candidates’ case.
Stalin stated, “I appeal to you (Modi) to consider this favorably and do the necessary in granting an additional attempt ” referring to the government order issued by the state human resources management department last year raising the age limit by two years for applicants for state service examinations taking into account the effects of pandemic.
The Chief Minister drew the Prime Minister’s attention to the Union Government’s recent relaxation of the prescribed upper age limit by three years for all categories of candidates as a one-time measure for the recruitment of Constable (General Duty) in Central Armed Police Forces Examinations, 2022 conducted by the Staff Selection Commission, saying that it is a one-time relaxation and would not put a financial burden on the exchequer.
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