UPSC introduces ‘Centre of Choice’ for candidates with benchmark disabilities
UPSC will now guarantee 'centre of choice' for candidates with benchmark disabilities. Even if an exam centre reaches full capacity, PwBD candidates can still choose it and UPSC will create additional capacity.
New Delhi: The Union Public Service Commission has announced that it will now ensure that candidates with benchmark disabilities gets the exam centre of their choice for all UPSC exams. The decision was shared in an official statement.
The move aims to reduce the logistical challenges often faced by persons with benchmark disabilities (PwBD) specifically when exam centres in big cities fill up quickly. With this decision, PwBD candidates will no longer be forced to choose distant or inconvenient centres due to capacity limits.
UPSC Chairman: New policy ensures convenience for PwBD candidates
Explaining the need for this change, UPSC Chairman Ajay Kumar said that the commission had studied the exam centre data of the past five years. He stated, 'we observed that certain centres such as Delhi, Cuttack, Patna, Lucknow and others reach their capacity ceiling very early due to the high volume of applicants". He added that this situation often created difficulties for candidates with benchmark disabilities, who were 'compelled to opt for centres that may not be convenient for them.'
Expressing satisfaction over the new initiative, he said, 'I am pleased that, with this decision, every PwBD candidate will now be assured of their preferred centre, ensuring maximum convenience and ease while appearing for UPSC examinations.'
Additional capacity for PwBD candidates
To implement this policy, the UPSC will first allow both PwBD and non-PwBD candidates to use the existing capacity of each exam centre. However, once a centre reaches its full capacity, it will automatically be closed for non-PwBD candidates.
PwBD candidates, on the other hand, will continue to have the option of selecting the same centre even after it is full. The statement said, 'The UPSC will then make additional capacity arrangements so that no PwBD candidate is denied the centre of their choice.'
This ensures that every PwBD applicant will be allotted their preferred exam centre regardless of how quickly seats fill up.
The UPSC conducts several exams to recruit officers for top government positions including the Civil Services Examination. This exam is held in three stages- preliminary, main, and interview.