Group 2 Aspirants in a Fix Over Exam Schedule

Hyderabad: Tension and anxiety prevails among Group 2 aspirants as reports of postponement of examinations are rife over scheduling issues. Activists and Opposition parties have been lending their support to the demand that the recruitment exam be put off. The TS Public Service Commission (TSPSC) has remained silent on the issue, which is leading to uncertainty.

The issue cropped when the Telangana Residential Educational Institutions Recruitment Board (TREIRB) scheduled its Gurukula exams from August 1 to 22 and the Group 2 exams were scheduled barely a week later, on August 29 and 30. Student organisations and unions have petitioned TSPSC and even ministers responded positively but nothing has been stated on paper, said an aspirant who wanted the exam to be deferred.

Aspirants who have been preparing for years are seeking more time for the preparation even as the hall tickets for the Gurukula exams were uploaded online on July 24.

TSPSC officials were making arrangements for Group 2 services.

NSUI state president Balmoori Venkat Narsing Rao said that by rushing all competitive exams, the state government was putting pressure on the candidates. He said that there should be a gap of at least one month between exams. The state government is betraying Telangana's unemployed youth with its callous approach in this regard, he said.

Narsing Rao said, “We will stand by the aspirants, who are being ignored in the BRS government. The Congress will intensify its protests against the TSPSC and besiege the office on August 5 if the commission does not respond to our pleas.”

Prabhakar Chouti, an economics faculty and online tutor, said, “First of all, TSPSC has lost its credibility. Many aspirants, who have been preparing for Group 2, are also appearing for the Gurukula exams. Since the former is one of the prestigious exams in the state and every Telangana youth wants to appear for it, the commission should respect their aspirations and give more time for preparation.”

Another aspirant and a government employee told Deccan Chronicle on condition of anonymity, “Postponement of the Group 2 exam will cost a lot to the aspirants. I spent a lot of money and time on its preparation. If TSPSC eventually postpones the exam, many people like me, who are preparing for exams by taking leaves, will be affected.”

Rana Ashish Chauhan, a PhD scholar in Osmania University, said “Objectively speaking, TSPSC declared dates well in advance and it is the TREIRB that has played spoilsport, so to say. Aspirants already suffered a date change due to the question paper leak. Many aspirants may also lose their motivation if the exam is postponed, yet again. It is up to the government to take an early call on the issue as the exam date is fast approaching.”