More than one million candidates have applied for the Civil Services Examination 2020, which will be held at 2,569 locations across the country.
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has said that wearing a mask or face cover is mandatory for candidates appearing for the Civil Service (Preliminary) examination scheduled for October 4.
Candidates can also bring their own hand sanitizer in a transparent bottle, it said.
The Civil Service Examination is conducted annually by UPSC to select officers for Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Overseas Service (IFS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) in three stages – Preliminary, Main and Interview. .
It is compulsory for all candidates to wear mask / face cover. Candidates will not be allowed to enter the venue without mask / face cover. Candidates have also been allowed to bring their own hand sanitizer in transparent bottles, the commission said in a statement issued on Wednesday.
Candidates are required to follow COVID-19 rules of ‘Social Distance’ as well as ‘Personal Hygiene’ inside the examination hall / room and on the premises of the venue.
This year’s preliminary test was originally scheduled for May 31 but was postponed due to a nationwide lockdown to spread the coronavirus.
The commission will conduct the Civil Service (Preliminary) Examination 2020 across India on Sunday, October 4, the statement said.
For the convenience of the admitted candidates, the Commission has uploaded the e-admission form on its website (http://upsconline.nic.in).
Candidates are advised to download their e-Admit Card and take a printout of it. The e-entry must be saved until the final result of the Civil Service Examination, 2020 is announced. No paper admissions will be issued for this test, it said.
In order to take part in the examination, the candidates have to submit the printout of their e-admission at the designated place, the commission said.
To appear in each session of the exam, the candidates have to bring their photo ID card, the number of which is mentioned in the e-entry card, it said.
It should also be noted that the entrance to the test venue will be closed 10 minutes before the scheduled start time i.e. at 09:20 in the morning, for the afternoon session and at 02:20 for the afternoon session. No candidate will be allowed to enter the examination venue after the entry is closed, UPSC said.
Candidates are also advised to bring a black ballpoint pen as they only need to fill out the OMR answer sheet and attendance list with a black ballpoint pen, it says.
Candidates are allowed to use ordinary or ordinary wristwatch inside the examination room / hall. However, the use of watches attached to a special accessory that can be used as a communication device or smartwatch is strictly prohibited and candidates are not allowed to wear such watches in the examination room / hall, the commission said.
Mobile phones (even in switched off mode), pagers or any electronic device, programmable devices, storage media such as pen drives, smartwatches, etc., cameras or Bluetooth devices, any other equipment or accessories can be used in working or switched off mode. Instruments and calculators have been banned, it said.
Any violation of these guidelines will result in disciplinary action being taken against the candidates concerned, including refraining from future examination / selection. Valuable items and bags are also not allowed inside the test venue, UPSC said.