UPPSC RO ARO: Candidates intensify protests for single shift exam, no normalisation

NEW DELHI: Demanding UPPSC RO ARO exam in a single shift, aspirants have intensified their protests and started campaigning on social media. Candidates are opposing the commission’s decision to conduct the exam in multiple shifts and use a normalization process in the Review Officer (RO) and Assistant Review Officer (ARO) recruitment exams. The commission recently notified the exam dates and RO ARO exams will be held on December 22 and 23 in three shifts.

Recently, the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission announced that the competitive exams will be conducted in multiple shifts due to unavailability of sufficient number of examination centres to accommodate all the candidates. UPPSC also notified the normalization process to be used for the objective-type exams held in two or more shifts. The commission had formed a high-level committee of experts to recommend the evaluation process.

Already upset over the UPPSC paper leak and exam postponement, aspirants argued that the move to hold exams in three shifts will harm deserving candidates and make way for corruption.

Student groups and ministers including UP’s former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav have spoken in support of the aggrieved aspirants. They also questioned the use of lathi charge by police on the protesting youth.

UPPSC RO ARO in one day, one shift: Online campaign

Narrating their ordeal online, candidates have taken social media platform, X, by storm with the hashtag UPPCS_ROARO_ONEDAY_ONESHIFT. In their posts, the aspirants are hitting out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government.

“Children of lakhs of ministers, MPs, MLAs, MLCs and other officials of the country go abroad to study and after returning, occupy various positions in the country. But even today, the children of poor farmers and labourers have to face lathicharge for their rights and spend nights on the streets,” a researcher posted in Hindi.

In a lengthy post, Yadav took a jibe at the Yogi Adityanath government, alleging that jobs are not in BJP’s agenda. “For years, either vacancies are not released or the examination process is not completed. BJP has taken the students away from their study desks and made them stand on the streets,” he said in a post in Hindi. “The rise of students lies in the downfall of BJP. There is a contradictory relationship between BJP and jobs. Jobs will come only when BJP goes,” he added.

Referring to the frequent use of bulldozers by the government in response to dissent, the minister asked if the same government will now run a bulldozer on protesting students’ hostels or lodges. He further wrote, “At a time when it is time to add voice to the voice of the students, these BJP members are reaping the benefits of power somewhere in hiding. The time of negative BJP and its negative false politics is over.”

Talking to media reporters, a candidate explained that they’re protesting for a single shift exam. The government talks about ‘one nation, one election’, then why not ‘one exam, one shift’, he asked. If elections can be conducted for at least 30 to 40 lakh candidates in a day, then why does the administrative system start getting disrupted for holding an exam in a single shift, he questioned further.

UPPSC RO ARO: Why was exam cancelled?

The commission cancelled the RO ARO exam held on February 12 this year due to reports of a paper leak. CM Adityanath informed about the exam cancellation via social media and announced that the test will be held in the next six months.

Following protests by candidates for a re-exam, UPPSC formed an internal committee to examine the irregularities and announced a Special Task Force (STF) investigation into the alleged paper leak.