UPPSC RO, ARO Protests Enter Day 4: Student protests in Uttar Pradesh have now entered their fourth day, with crowds continuing to rally across the state, with the social media platform trending with over 95,000 posts on the hashtag ‘UPPSC_No_Normalization’. Protesters are calling for the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) to revert to a single-day examination format for its entrance tests. Visuals from cities like Prayagraj reveal large groups of students gathered in opposition to UPPSC’s recent decision to split the examinations into two consecutive days. The move has sparked frustration among students who argue that dividing exams compromises fairness and complicates the testing process.
The recent announcement by UPPSC scheduled the Review Officer (RO) and Assistant Review Officer (ARO) Preliminary Examinations over two days, on December 22 and 23. Similarly, the Provincial Civil Service (PCS) Preliminary Examination is set to take place on December 7 and 8. Students argue that a single-day format would ensure equal opportunity for all candidates and reduce the risk of discrepancies in scoring.
UPPSC RO, ARO Protests: Why are candidates protesting?The demand for “one day, one exam” has become the rallying cry for these protesters. Many students remember when the exams were previously held on a single day, a practice that, they feel, provided consistency and fairness in evaluation. The protesters claim that reverting to a multi-day format may introduce inequalities, especially in competitive exams where even minor differences in test conditions can affect scores. Pratyush Singh, a protester stationed outside the UPPSC office, emphasized that students will not back down until the single-day format is reinstated. “We will continue the agitation for one day, one exam,” he said, expressing the determination felt by many of his peers.
Taking to social media, one of many users who echoed the students’ sentiments, highlighted the police response to the protest. “The students in Prayagraj have been sitting in protest for four days, but the police are forcibly removing them and putting them into vehicles. These students are protesting against UPPSC, demanding a single day for PCS, RO, and ARO exams.”
UPPSC RO, ARO Protests: How have authorities responded?
UPPSC officials responded to the protests by explaining the rationale behind the two-day exam format. Secretary Ashok Kumar clarified that the change aimed to improve security by restricting exam locations to government institutions within a 10-km radius of district headquarters. He noted that students themselves had previously requested the exclusion of private centers due to concerns over potential paper leaks. “Only government institutions within a 10-km radius of the district headquarters are used as examination centers,” Kumar stated, adding that the new policy directly addresses the students’ earlier demands. However, this explanation has done little to appease the protesting students, who remain focused on the single-day exam demand.
A user on X criticised the authorities for their handling of the situation, posting, “This uncivil behavior by the administration is unacceptable. Treating candidates like this without even female police officers present? They should be ashamed.”
UPPSC RO, ARO Protests: Officials seek resolution, but uncertainty remains
District officials, including the district magistrate and police commissioner, held a meeting on Monday night to address the protests and students’ demands. However, as of Thursday, no resolution has been reached. The discussions remain ongoing, and students have voiced concerns over the administration’s perceived lack of urgency in addressing their grievances.
@realshubhamkush captured the spirit of the movement, posting, “Where youth leads, society follows. ‘One day, one shift, no normalization’—the students’ struggle will continue until justice is served. Students from across the state stand united in this challenging situation.”
The situation highlights growing tensions between UPPSC and students as the exam dates approach, with no clear resolution in sight. Students vow to continue their protests until the UPPSC considers their demands, while UPPSC remains steadfast in its current exam policy. The protests reflect broader concerns around testing practices and the rights of students advocating for equitable examination conditions in competitive exams.
(With inputs from PTI)
