Page 2 - Civil Services

Hong Kong to cut 10k civil service jobs, invest in AI to tackle deficit

Hong Kong will cut thousands of civil service jobs and boost spending in artificial intelligence as it seeks to tackle an increasing deficit, authorities said Wednesday. Finance Secretary Paul Chan said during a budget speech that there would be a cumulative reduction of government recurrent expenditure by 7 per cent from now until 2027-2028. Hong Kong's deficit had reached 87.2 billion Hong Kong dollars (USD 11.2 billion) for the financial year of 2024-2025, making it the third straight year of losses. It gives us a clear pathway towards the goal of restoring fiscal balance, Chan said. He said 10,000 civil servant posts would be cut by April 2027, representing a reduction of about 2 per cent of the civil service in each of the next two years. Salaries will also be frozen in the civil service this year. Chan also said that up to 195 billion Hong Kong dollars (USD 25 billion) worth of bonds will also be issued in the next five years to ensure progress of important infrastructure ..

Coaching institutes refund Rs 1.56 cr to students after govt intervention

More than 600 students have received refunds of Rs 1.56 crore from coaching institutes after the intervention of the Department of Consumer Affairs. According to an official statement on Saturday, the department has "successfully secured refunds amounting to Rs 1.56 crore for over 600 aspirants and students in the education sector." These students, enrolled in coaching centres for civil services, engineering courses and other programmes, were previously denied rightful refunds despite following the terms and conditions set forth by the coaching institutes, it added. The relief was made possible through grievances filed by the students via the National Consumer Helpline (NCH), which facilitated a streamlined process for dispute resolution. "The swift action by the Department has helped students receive compensation for unfulfilled services, late classes, or cancelled courses, ensuring they do not bear the financial burden of unfair business practices," the statement said. In its .

UPSC further extends last date to apply for CSE prelims till Feb 21

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has extended the last date to apply for this year's civil services preliminary examination till February 21. This is the second extension in the deadline for applying to the examination, conducted annually by the UPSC in three stages -- preliminary, mains and interview -- to select officers of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and Indian Police Service (IPS), among others. The last date for submission for Civil Services (Preliminary)-2025 and Indian Forest Service (Preliminary)-2025 "has been further extended till 21.02.2025 (6 pm)," said a notice put out by the Commission on its website. Further, a correction window will also be open for the applicants "from 22.02.2025 to 28.02.2025", read the notice, without mentioning any reasons behind the second extension. The Commission had recently also introduced certain changes in its online application system for the exam after aspirants complained of technical

UPSC's new registration module to streamline application process: Govt

A new module of registration and online application form replacing the Detailed Application Form (DAF)-I and DAF-II has been introduced by the UPSC in civil services examination-2025, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said on Thursday. The primary objective for implementing this module is to enhance convenience for the candidates, streamline the application process and optimise the examination cycle, he said. The civil services examination (CSE) is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) annually in accordance with the CSE rules notified by the Department of Personnel & Training, said Singh, the Minister of State for Personnel. "A new module of registration and online application form replacing the Detailed Application Form (DAF)-I and DAF-II has been introduced by UPSC in CSE-2025," he said in a written reply to Rajya Sabha. Singh cited sections of the notified rules that make it mandatory for the applicant to submit requisite information and supporting documents ...

UPSC extends last date to apply for civil services prelims till Feb 18

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has extended the last date to apply for civil services preliminary examination 2025 till February 18. The civil services examination is conducted annually by the UPSC in three stages --? preliminary, mains and interview --? to select officers of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and Indian Police Service (IPS), among others. The last date for registration for Civil Services (Preliminary)-2025 and Indian Forest Service (Preliminary)-2025 exams "has been extended till 18.02.2025 (6 pm)," said a note put out by the Commission on its website. A correction window will also be open for applicants "till expiry of seven days from the next day after the closure of application window i.e. from 19.02.2025 to 25.02.2025", it said. Earlier, the last date to apply for the exam online was February 11, 2025 till 6 pm. Candidates are required to apply online by using the website http://upsconline.gov.in. The UPSC note

UPSC aspirant death case: Delhi HC to hear Abhishek Gupta's plea on Jan 30

Gupta was granted interim bail on September 23, 2024, in connection with the deaths of three UPSC aspirants in a flooded basement in Old Rajinder Nagar

Vision IAS fined 3 lakh for misleading civil services exam advertisements

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed a penalty of Rs 3 lakh on Vision IAS for deceptive advertising about its students' success in the civil services examination. The authority found that Vision IAS deliberately withheld specific course information, creating a misleading impression about its success rates in such exams, a statement by Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution said. The institute's advertisement claimed "10 in Top 10 selections in CSE 2020 from various programs of Vision IAS" and prominently displayed successful candidates and pictures. Vision IAS highlighted only the first rank student's foundation course while concealing course details of nine other successful UPSC Civil Services Exam (CSE) 2020 candidates. Of the remaining nine successful candidates, one student took a foundation course, six of them opted for test series for preliminary and mains stage and two of them for Abhyaas test. The institute's selective disclosure

Submission of age, quota-related papers now mandatory for UPSC prelims

The Centre has made submission of documents in support of age and reservation-related claims mandatory by candidates while applying for the civil services preliminary examinations, according to recently notified rules. Earlier, such documents were to be uploaded after candidates qualified the preliminary test. The move comes in the backdrop of the controversy involving former IAS probationer Puja Khedkar, who was accused of cheating, wrongly availing Other Backward Class (OBC) and disability quota benefits to ensure her selection in the government service. She has denied all allegations though. The civil services examination is conducted annually by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) in three stages -- preliminary, mains and interview -- to select officers of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) among others. "A candidate who is willing to apply for civil services examination shall be required to apply on-line

UPSC IAS 2025: Notification for civil services prelims exam released

UPSC announced the official notification of the Civil Services Prelims Exam 2025 today, January 22. Eligible candidates can view the notification on the official website at upsc.gov.in

Video: Prashant Kishor forcibly removed from BPSC protest site in Patna

Prashant Kishor resisted the police's attempt to remove him from the site, which led to a tense situation following which he was detained

Bihar's exam transparency questioned as protests erupt ahead of polls

After protests, which resulted in a police lathi charge, the BPSC assured candidates that the exam would be conducted in a single shift

China raises salaries of civil servants to boost consumer spending

President Xi Jinping has declared boosting domestic consumption the top priority for 2025, as his government ramps up efforts to bolster a slowing economy

Record Chinese youth flock to civil services on prospect of job security

Applicant numbers, which surged by over 400,000 from last year and have tripled since 2014, reflect the huge demand for stability

CCPA fines three coaching institutes for misleading UPSC exam claims

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed penalties totalling Rs 15 lakh on three coaching institutes for making misleading advertisements about their success rates in civil services examinations, the government said on Thursday. Vajirao & Reddy Institute and StudyIQ IAS were each fined Rs 700,000, while Edge IAS was penalised Rs 100,000 for deceptive claims regarding their results in the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examinations of 2022 and 2023, an official statement said. The CCPA, led by Chief Commissioner Nidhi Khare, found that the institutes deliberately concealed that most of their successful candidates had only enrolled in Interview Guidance Programs, creating a misleading impression about the effectiveness of their other courses. Vajirao & Reddy Institute claimed "617 selections out of 933" in the 2022 examination, while StudyIQ IAS advertised "120+ selections" in 2023. Investigations revealed that the majority of ...

UPSC declares result of civil services main examination at upsc.gov.in

The Union Public Service Commission on Monday declared the results of the civil services (main) examination for the selection of candidates for the IAS, IPS and other central services of Group A and B posts. In a statement, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) said the results were declared based on exams held from September 20 to 29. The UPSC said the successful candidates in the main examination have qualified for the personality test for selection to the Indian Administrative Service, Indian Foreign Service, Indian Police Service and other Central Services (Groups A and B). The candidature of these aspirants is provisional subject to them being found eligible in all respects, it said in the statement. The candidates will be required to produce the original certificates in support of their eligibility/reservation claims such as age, educational qualifications, community, economically weaker section, Person with Benchmark Disability (PwBD) and other documents such as TA form

UPSC Mains Result 2024 out: When and where to check civil services result

Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) will likely release the IAS Main 2024 results this week. Candidates who took their UPSC IAS Main exam can visit the official website whenever announced

UPPSC protest: FIR lodged against 4 Telegram channels for misinformation

A case has been registered against four Telegram channels for allegedly spreading misleading information to incite students and disturb law and order during the protest outside the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) here, police said on Sunday. The Telegram channels against whom the FIR has been registered are PCM Abhyas, General Studies Edushala, Make IAS, and PCS Manthan, they said. The FIR was registered under Section 318 (4) (cheating) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and under the IT Act at Civil Lines police station on Thursday on a complaint lodged by Krishna Murari Chaurasia, in-charge of UPPSC police outpost, police said. According to the FIR, misleading information was uploaded and circulated by various Telegram channels to incite students so that law and order could be disturbed. Screenshots of the said channels have been attached with the complaint as evidence. The students began their protest outside the UPPSC office on November 11 against its decisio

In major reshuffle, Centre appoints 29 joint secretaries in different depts

In a major bureaucratic reshuffle effected by the Centre, 29 joint secretaries have been appointed in different government departments. Officers from various central services, including the Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS), Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers (IRSEE), Indian Audit and Accounts Service (IA&AS) and Indian Revenue Service (IRS) among others have been appointed to these key joint secretary (JS)-level posts, as per an order issued by the Personnel Ministry. IDAS officers Praveen Kumar Rai and Rakesh Kumar Pandey, and IRSEE officer Rajesh Gupta have been appointed as joint secretaries in the Home Ministry, said the order dated October 25. Raj Kumar, a 1999-batch IA&AS officer, has been named as Director (Finance) in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) under the Ministry of Home Affairs for a tenure of five years, it said. Deepak Agarwal, a 2000-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre, has been appointed as ...

Supreme Court to hear on Monday civil services aspirants' death case

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Monday a matter related to the death of three civil service aspirants at a coaching centre here in July due to the flooding in the building's basement. On July 27, three civil services aspirants drowned in the basement library of Rau's IAS Study Circle in the Old Rajinder Nagar area here after it was flooded following heavy rain. As per the cause list of October 21 uploaded on the apex court's website, a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan is slated to hear the matter. On September 20, the top court directed a Union government-appointed committee probing the case to submit an interim report about the measures it wanted to be taken to prevent recurrence of such incidents. The apex court had also asked the Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi governments to apprise it of the policy and legislative and administrative changes made to prevent a repeat of such incidents. It had said uniform initiatives should be taken in the entire Nationa

Civil servants need to keep themselves abreast with latest tech: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked civil servants on Saturday to keep themselves abreast with latest technological developments so as to meet the rising standards and stressed the need for following a citizen-centric approach. Addressing an event here, the prime minister also suggested seeking help from startups, research agencies and youngsters for getting new ideas. With artificial intelligence, information processing is also becoming equally easy, making the citizenry informed and empowering them to keep a tab on all the activities of the government, he said. "So the civil servants need to keep themselves abreast with latest technological developments so as to meet the rising standards, wherein Mission Karmayogi can prove to be of help," Modi said after launching the "Karmayogi Saptah" -- National Learning Week -- at the Dr Ambedkar International Centre here. The National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building or Mission Karmayogi was launched in September 2020 to foster