Uproar in Rajya Sabha over UPSC CSAT row

The Rajya Sabha on Friday witnessed an uproar over the issue of the Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examinations.

As the Upper House met today, members of the Opposition demanded a response from the government over the issue.

They said, as the government's assured seven days' time was over, it should respond to the problem of the agitating students.

At this, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Venkaiah Naidu pleaded with members to cooperate during the Question Hour, and promised that the government would give its reply on the CSAT after Question Hour.

Proceedings in the Rajya Sabha have been adjourned till 2.30 p.m. Earlier, the Upper House had to be adjourned thrice - once as soon as the House met at 11 a.m., then till noon, and again till 12.36 p.m., as the uproar among the members refused to die down.

Earlier, Minister of State ( MoS) in the Prime Minister's Office ( PMO) Dr. Jitendra Singh has said that the government's decision on the UPSC row will be a balanced and satisfactory one.

"The government is very serious about this matter. Whatever the decision maybe, it will be in favour of the students. Government has got a procedure, and will work according to that only. The decision will be satisfactory and balanced," he said.

UPSC aspirants have been protesting vociferously against the Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) examination, which was introduced in 2011, and demanded that it be made easy for rural students.