For first time, UPSC allows candidates to withdraw applications from civil services examination

For the first time, the UPSC on Monday decided to allow candidates to withdraw their names from civil services examination. While taking the decision, the commission said only half of the over 10 lakh aspirants who apply for the exam actually appear in the test. The arrangement will be implemented beginning with Engineering Services Examination, 2019, it said.

"The commission has to book venues, print papers, hire invigilators and ship the documents for all the 10 lakh applicants - which turns out to be a 50% waste of energy and resources," Union Public Service Commission chairman Arvind Saxena said on the occasion of the 92nd foundation day celebrations on Monday.The UPSC conducts the civil services examination annually in three stages -- preliminary, main and interview -- to select officers for Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) among others.

According to Saxena, the commission is looking for genuine and serious candidates so that it could give them better facilities and make the system more efficient.A start is being made with the Engineering Services Examination, 2019 and more examinations will be brought under this arrangement, the statement issued by Personnel Ministry said. 

Here’s how to avail the facility:  

# The candidate has to provide details of application.Separate One-Time Passwords (OTPs) will be sent on candidate's registered mobile number and e-mail id. 

# On successful completion of withdrawal of application, confirmation message will be sent on e-mail and also an SMS. Once application has been withdrawn, it cannot be revived.

The UPSC has brought an increasing number of exam related interactions and transactions online to reduce the stress for the candidates. Saxena added that the UPSC is also moving ahead with shifting from a 'pen and paper' mode of examination to a computer-based mode. 

"Apart from making the examination process more candidate-friendly, the new systems also serves to cut down the time cycle for each examination," he said.

(With PTI inputs)