Date:18/10/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/10/18/stories/2004101813250500.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Group I aspirants want more time for mains

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, OCT. 17. Candidates who benefited from the age relaxation extended by the Government and appeared for Group I services (preliminaries were conducted specially for them recently) are seeking at least six months' time between prelims and mains.

With the Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) indicating that the mains are likely to be conducted from December 13, the candidates are worried as they will not get sufficient time to prepare for what they call their final chance to get a Government job.

`Unfair move'

Their contention is that two months is a very short time to study six subjects for an examination like Group I that tests the knowledge of aspirants at the highest level. "Moreover, it is unfair to give six months for candidates who have taken the prelims before the age limit was relaxed and conducted again for our benefit," argues a candidate.

They say that the Union Public Service Commission gives at least six months time for successful candidates in prelims to appear for the mains in civil services. "A similar method should be adopted for Group I examination also," they urge and remind the Government that no one would be at loss if the test is postponed by a few months.

CM's intervention sought

They say candidates who have taken the original Group I test will have an advantage over them if the examination is held in December.

"The Chief Minister has given us a chance to take the test and he should now come to our rescue and give us enough time to prepare," they say. They wanted the Chief Minister to intervene and direct the APPSC to conduct the test in March 2005. Nearly 51,000 candidates became eligible for the test after Government relaxed the age limit as a one-time measure.