Third wave of COVID-19: Delhi HC to hear plea seeking postponement of Civil Services (Mains) Examination 2021 tomorrow

New Delhi [India], January 5 (ANI): The Delhi High Court on Wednesday agrees to hear a petition on Thursday seeking direction to postpone the schedule of Civil Services (Mains) Examination 2021 till such time when the COVID-19 situation is normalized.
The matter was mentioned for urgent listening of the hearing on Wednesday, on that, Chief Justice of Delhi DN Patel directed to list the matter for hearing on Thursday.
The petition has been filed by the candidates who have cleared their UPSC Civil Services Examination 2021 – Preliminary Examination and now have to appear in the Mains Examination of the said CSE 2021.
Petitioners are approaching the High Court with a prayer to direct the Respondents (UPSC and DoPT) to immediately postpone the conduct of the said Mains Examination in view of the severe spread of the COVID-19 infection, particularly, the Omicron variant thereof which is now spreading faster in India than any previously found variant of the coronavirus (COVID-19).
The plea states that due to the imminent third wave of Covid 19 with its new variant Omicron the petitioners not only run the imminent risk of getting infected and getting threat to their life but also are at risk of losing out their valuable attempt, which for some candidates is also a last attempt to give the examinations and all this without any fault on the part of the petitioners.
Recently, COVID-19 has spread severely in several states, cities including various educational centers. The position cannot be disputed by the respondent also as the Governments are themselves issuing strict advisories including a weekend curfew, night curfews, shutdowns, etc. in view of the situation /infection likely to get out of control at any point of time, states petition copy.
Despite the same, the schedule of examination is being maintained by the respondents in complete disregard of the legal and fundamental rights of the Petitioners and which non action is ex facie arbitrary, alleges petitioner.
The petitioners are 19 aspirants further submit s that the UPSC Mains Examination consists of 9 papers (two qualifying papers and seven papers for counting the merit) for which the candidates have to travel to their centers and stay near the area continuously for 10 days. The Mains Examination for CSE 2021 is presently scheduled from January 7, 2022, to January 16, 2022.
That the centers allotted for Mains Examination are mostly in Metro Cities or State Capitals which are densely populated and gaining the numbers of COVID-19 infections in an unprecedented manner.
Almost all the States /UTS in the country have started or are likely to immediately start issuing strict COVID-19 advisories restricting /prohibiting a range of activities including shutdowns, travel restrictions, night curfews, Weekend Curfews, etc.
For example, in Delhi, the Government has imposed a night curfew, Weekend curfew, 2992 Containment zones have been declared, Libraries and classes are closed, Government offices are switched to Work from home and private offices are allowed to work with only 50 per cent capacity, plea read.
India on Wednesday reported 58,097 fresh COVID cases, 15,389 recoveries, and 534 deaths, as per the Union Health Ministry. (ANI)