UPSC row: Opposition leaders express solidarity with agitating UPSC aspirants

Leaders of opposition parties today expressed their solidarity towards disenchanted UPSC students, who have been leading their protests in the capital demanding scrapping of the existing CSAT format.

Communist Party of India Marxist (CPI-M) leader Sitaram Yechury said, "Lakhs of students will be at a loss if the constitutional provision is not implemented. This has been a demand for ages. We have been telling the government that it should implement the constitutional provision and hence such things are happening. The government seems to be simply cold in its approach."

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo, Mayawati, latched on to taking the side of the agitating students, she said, "In the case of UPSC issue, some students have agitated nationwide. This was raised in both the houses of parliament. The central government had assured that the issue of the students would be resolved soon. But, unfortunately till now, they (central government) have not done anything to resolve it and instead taking decisions against their (students) demands, which our party doesn't support."

Congress leader Manish Tewari said: "Whatever the central government has promised to the students it must now deliver on it."

Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) candidates, continued with their protest today in demand of scrapping the newly announced scheme of CSAT in the examination pattern, which is obstructing the Hindi medium students from getting selected.

Students have been protesting against the exam, saying there is a need to change the second paper, as it makes it difficult for people coming from rural areas of Hindi-speaking states to crack the exam.

The students argue that the questions asked in language comprehension skills are asked in English and no Hindi translations are provided. They want this to be changed.

Earlier this month Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh, made a statement in the Lok Sabha and assured that no candidate will be discriminated on the basis of language. But, Members of Parliament (MPs) belonging to Uttar and Bihar rejected his statement and demanded a discussion on it.