Massive protests, sloganeering, and chaotic scenes prevailed in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj even on Tuesday, November 12 as thousands of students continue to protest outside the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission headquarters.
Candidates of the RO/ARO (Review Officer and Assistant Review Officer)-Examination 2023 and Uttar Pradesh Combined State/ Upper Subordinate Services Examination, PCS (preliminary) examination 2024 are protesting against the normalisation and the decision to conduct the two key examinations in two shifts in two days.
The protest comes a few days after the UPPSC issued a notification on November 5, wherein it stated that it will conduct the RO/ARO examination in three shifts on December 22 and 23, and the PCS preliminary examination in two shifts on December 7 and 8.
News agency PTI reported that after unsuccessful talks with authorities the previous night, the protesting students remain determined to press their demands. Additionally, they called in more peers, and vowed to continue their peaceful protest until their concerns are addressed.
Candidates’ demand in a nutshell
Candidates of UPPSC PCS and RO/ARO exams are demanding that the upcoming examinations be conducted in a single shift, as previously done. The candidates believe this will make the process fairer and more manageable.
The social media storm
Ever since the protest broke out on Monday, ‘na batenge, na hatenga’ and ‘no normalisation’ have been the top trend on X (formerly Twitter), with aspirants, activists as well as political leaders coming down heavily on state authorities – all voicing for a single shift and no normalisation.
For instance, Aparna Agarwal, a user on X, posted a video of the protest and wrote, Hum sabki ek maang, ek shift mein ho exam (We have one demand, the exam should be held in a single shift).
Another user, named Gaurav Dubey, slammed the BJP government and asked why those pitching for one nation, one election were backing out from one exam.
Gauri Singh, another user said “In the mathematics questions, the commission can decide which question is difficult and which is simple, and normalization can be applied. But in history questions, how would the commission decide whether the question on the Battle of Khanwa is easy or the Battle of Chanderi is difficult? The commission is unable to understand this much”
Akash Patel, another user, shared videos of protests and informed that candidates kept protesting outside the commission’s office entire night on Monday…
Reactions from the political leaders
Not just students, but even political leaders, particularly those from the opposition block have come heavily on the ruling disposition.
Samajwadi Party MP and former UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav condemned the lathi charge on protesting students on Monday and expressed his solidarity with the agitators.
In another post, Yadav took a dig at the BJP and asked if the party would apply the normalisation formula even in the elections being held on different days…
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Likewise, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Chief Mayawati asked on X if UP lacks the basic facilities to conduct exams at one time that special exams like PCS etc. have to be conducted in two days. She said that preventing paper leaks and reliability of exams are important issues, for which conducting exams in a single time is necessary, urged the state government to pay attention.
The protest on November 11
On Monday, November 11, students came out in thousands in the morning to protest outside the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission Gate number 2 in Prayagraj. They held placards and shouted slogans against normalisation. Neither the barricading nor attempts by senior officials to pacify them yielded any results. Students even got into an ‘altercation’ with the police, and the protestors broke the barricade and assembled outside the UPPSC gate.
Also read: Thousands of students protest at UPPSC as PCS prelims, RO/ARO exam date row intensifies
The Police resorted to ‘mild force’ when some students became aggressive and tried to enter the UPPSC. Heavy forces, including paramilitary, continue to be deployed outside UPPSC and on routes towards the commission.
