The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducted the civil services preliminary examinations on Sunday with a slew of precautions in place. Many candidates who appeared for it said they found the paper tough.
“Due to the pandemic, the exams were delayed for over four months. There were many guidelines in place. I found the preliminary exam tough. The questions were tricky and analytical,” Haricharan, a candidate from Bengaluru, said.
Candidates were allowed inside the exam centres after temperature checks and hand sanitisation. However, norms of social distancing prior to entering the exam hall were not followed strictly at some centres, said several students who took the test.
Another aspirant said, “I expect the cut off will be lower this year. Questions asked from polity, environment and other subjects were analytical and required more time to answer.”
The preliminary examinations were initially scheduled to be held on May 31, but got postponed to October 4 due to the pandemic. “Unlike previous years, there was uncertainty over conducting the preliminary exams. This has also impacted our preparation,” said another candidate.
