Low participation in UPPSC PCS Prelims 2024: only 42% appear for the exam

The Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) successfully concluded the PCS preliminary examination on Sunday, despite large-scale protests at the start. Around 42 percent of the candidates appeared for the exam.

UPPSC Secretary Ashok Kumar confirmed that the exams were conducted peacefully, with support from the police and other agencies to ensure smooth operations.

Of the 5,76,154 candidates who had applied for the exam, only 2,41,212 (around 42 per cent) appeared, officials said.

To maintain fairness, a double-layer security system has been implemented. Police and monitoring agencies conducted separate investigations to safeguard the integrity of the review.

Kumar further explained that the exams were closely monitored through CCTV and live streaming. Additionally, candidates underwent iris screening and biometric screening to avoid proxy attendance.

“Each candidate from each center was monitored from the control room installed in the commission. This monitoring was done through CCTV cameras installed in 1,331 centers across the state. Whenever a candidate was seen wandering, we would immediately alert the concerned center what this particular candidate was doing,” Kumar was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

CHEATING INCIDENT REPORTED TO ETAH

An incident of cheating was reported at Jawaharlal Nehru PG College in Etah, where a candidate was caught with headphones. The individual was then arrested by the police.

On November 15, the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) announced that the Provincial Civil Services (PCS) Preliminary Examination 2024 would be held on December 22 in two shifts.

The move sparked protests from students, who demanded that both exams be held on the same day. After five days of protests, the commission gave in and announced that the exams would now be held on a single day. presence by proxy.