COVID-19: UPSC chairman, members to forego 30 per cent of basic pay for 1 year

The chairman and members of Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), that conducts civil services examination to select country's bureaucrats and diplomats among others, have decided to forego 30 per cent of their basic pay for one year to aid the government's fight against coronavirus, according to an official communique.

The commission reviewed the harm caused to the national economy by the coronavirus pandemic in a special meeting held on Wednesday to review the current situation.

"Recognising the need to conserve financial resources at the national level, the chairman and members of the UPSC have decided to voluntarily forego 30 per cent of the basic pay received by them from the Commission for a period of one year, with effect from April 2020," the communique issued by the Personnel Ministry said.

The Commission at present is working in its full strength, i.e. a chairman and ten members.

In addition, all officers and staff members of the UPSC have volunteered one day salary to the PM Relief Fund/PM's Citizenship Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situation Fund (PM CARES Fund), it said.

The UPSC said in view of the prevailing lockdown restrictions, including social distancing norms, it was decided that dates for all interviews and examinations, where candidates and advisers are required to travel from all parts of the country, will be reviewed from time to time.

A decision on fresh dates for the remaining civil services-2019 personality tests, will be taken after May 3, 2020, following the second phase of the lockdown, the statement said.

The dates for the Civil Services-2020 (Prelims), Engineering Services (Main) and the Geologist Services (Main) examinations had already been announced, it said.

"Any rescheduling in these examinations, if necessitated by the evolving situation, will be notified on the website of the UPSC," the statement said.

Deferment notices have already been posted for the Combined Medical Services Examination, the Indian Economic Service and the Indian Statistical Service Examination 2020. Dates for the CAPF Exam 2020 will also be notified on the UPSC website, it said.

The National Defence Academy (NDA-I) Examination has already been postponed till further intimation. A decision on the NDA-II Examination will be posted on June 10, 2020, the scheduled date for its notification, the Commission said.

"Any other decision of the Commission in respect of all the examinations, interviews and recruitment boards will be promptly made available on the Commission's website," it said.