UPSC 2020: Revised calendar out; prelims on Oct 4 and mains on Jan 8

Revised dates have been announced by the Commission on their official website

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has announced the revised annual examination dates for UPSC Civil Services, NDA, CMS and other examinations conducted by the commission. UPSC CSE or IAS Preliminary Examination 2020 will now be conducted on October 4 and UPSC Mains (earlier scheduled for September) have now been postponed till January 8, 2021. UPSC NDA/NA 1 examination 2020 which have been deferred due to nationwide lockdown imposed on March 24 to curb the spread of Covid-19, will be conducted on September 6, 2020. 

The personality tests for Civil Services (Main) Examination, 2019 for remaining candidates would be resumed from 20 July, 2020. This year's primary test was scheduled to be held on May 31.

The UPSC prelims examinations, which are conducted for the recruitment process of Inadian Administrative Services Examination, Indian Police Services, Indian Foreign Services, among others, see more than 1 million registrations each year. 

Combined Medcal Services Examination 2020 will be held on October 22, 2020 and the last date for filing up forms for this examination is on August 11, 2020. Central Armed Forces (ACs) Examination 2020 will be held on September 6, 2020. 

Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh said the announcement of fresh date for the civil services preliminary exam would allay apprehensions in some quarters of it being cancelled.

"It would also allay apprehension from the minds of some quarters who thought that they would become overage by the next year in case the exam was postponed. Candidates need not worry. The examination will be held as per the UPSC's schedule," he told PTI.

The civil services examination is conducted annually in three stages prelims, main and interview -- by the UPSC to select officers for the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and the Indian Police Service (IPS), among others.

Lakhs of aspirants take the examination every year to be part of the country's coveted civil services.

The decision on announcement of fresh date was taken in a meeting held by the Commission to review the prevailing situation due to Covid-19 lockdown.

"Taking note of the opening of lockdown and progressive relaxations being announced by the Central government and various states, the Commission decided to issue a revised schedule of examination/recruitment tests," the UPSC said in a statement.

According to the revised calendar, the civil services preliminary examination 2020 will be held on October 4 (Sunday). The main examination 2020 will begin from January 8, 2021 (Friday) for five days, it said.

"The dates of notification, commencement and duration of examinations/recruitment tests are liable to alteration, if the circumstances so warrant," the Commission said.

Personality tests for civil services (main) examination, 2019, for remaining candidates are being resumed from July 20, it said, adding "candidates will be informed individually."

A common examination for both NDA& NA Exam (I) and NDA&NA Exam (II), 2020 will be held on September 6, 2020, the UPSC said.

The recruitment test for the posts of Enforcement Officer/Accounts Officer in the Employees' Provident Fund Organization (EPFO), earlier scheduled to be held on October 4, 2020, has been deferred, it said.

"New date for conduct of this recruitment test will be published on the website of the Commission at the time of issue of calendar of examinations/recruitment tests for 2021," the Commission added.