Citing COVID-19, govt allows civil services candidates to get medical tests done in states, UTs

The civil services examination is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) annually in three stages - preliminary, main and interview or personality test – to select officers of the prestigious Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) among others. A candidate called for the personality test by the Commission is required to undergo medical examination, according to the rules.

Civil services candidates can now get their medical tests done at designated hospitals in states and union territories, according to the recently amended rules by the Personnel Ministry in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic. The civil services examination is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) annually in three stages - preliminary, main and interview or personality test – to select officers of the prestigious Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) among others.

A candidate called for the personality test by the Commission is required to undergo medical examination, according to the rules. The rules provide that a candidate must be in good mental and bodily health and free from any physical defect likely to interfere with the discharge of his duties as an officer of the service. The UPSC has decided to conduct personality test of candidates shortlisted through the civil services main examination 2019 from July 20. The interview could not be completed earlier due to coronavirus-induced lockdown announced in late March. The Ministry of Personnel issued an order on Tuesday amending the existing rules to say "in addition to the designated hospitals in Delhi, the medical examination of the candidates shall also be carried out in the designated government hospitals in the states/UTs, in view of the situation arisen due to COVID-19 pandemic". Earlier rules said the medical examination shall be conducted by the government in New Delhi in the hospitals as to be decided as per requirement.

The Commission has already postponed the date of the civil services preliminary examination 2020, earlier scheduled for May 31, to October 4 due to the COVID-19 situation. PTI AKV SRY.

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