UPSC: Fresh dates for exams after May 3; staff & officers pledge to PM CARES fund

Amid the nationwide lockdown initiated to counter the coronavirus pandemic, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on Wednesday announced that a decision on fresh dates for the remaining civil services-2019 personality tests will be taken after May 3. The commission said that dates for the civil services-2020 (prelim), engineering services (main) and the geologist services (main) examinations had already been announced and any rescheduling in these examinations if necessitated by the evolving situation, will be notified on its website.

After conducting a special meeting to review the situation arising out of the coronavirus pandemic the commission said, 

"A decision on fresh dates for the remaining civil services-2019 personality tests will be taken after May 3, following the second phase of the lockdown,"

The National Defence Academy (NDA-I) Examination has already been postponed till further intimation. A decision on the NDA-II Examination will be posted on June 10, the scheduled date for its notification.

Furthermore, the chairman and members of the UPSC have decided to voluntarily forego 30 per cent of the basic pay received by them from the commission for a period of one year, with effect from April 2020. In addition, all officers and staff members of the UPSC have volunteered a one-day salary to the Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situation Fund (PM CARES Fund). 

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PM Modi announces lockdown extension

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing the nation on Tuesday, announced that the lockdown imposed in the country will be extended till May 3. He said, "CMs of every State suggested that the lockdown should be increased. Many states have already decided to increase lockdown. Keeping all the suggestions in mind, it has been decided that the lockdown in India will now have to be extended till May 3."

In his televised address, PM Modi said, "Till 20th April, all districts, localities, states will be closely monitored, as to how strictly they are implementing norms. States which will not let hotspots increase, they could be allowed to let some important activities resume, but with certain conditions."

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(With Inputs from ANI)