UPSC announces civil services preliminary exam to be held on Oct 4

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) announced on Friday that the civil services preliminary examination 2020, postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, will be held on October 4. 

This year's preliminary test was originally scheduled to be held on May 31, but was deferred due to the nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus.

The civil services examination is conducted annually in three stages prelims, main and interview -- by the UPSC to select officers for the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and the Indian Police Service (IPS), among others.

"Taking note of the opening of lockdown and progressive relaxations being announced by the Central government and various states, the Commission decided to issue a revised schedule of examination/recruitment tests," the UPSC said in a statement.

According to the revised calendar, the civil services preliminary examination 2020 will be held on October 4 (Sunday). The main examination 2020 will begin from January 8, 2021 (Friday) for five days, it said.

"The dates of notification, commencement and duration of examinations/recruitment tests are liable to alteration, if the circumstances so warrant," the Commission said.