COVID-19: Civil services aspirants affected due to coaching centres shutdown

Every year, near about five lakh students, apply for the Civil Services Examinations (CSE) conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for around 700-800 posts ( including IAS, IFS, and IPS)

Coronavirus has ruptured the education system all around the globe. Academic institutions, colleges, universities are shut and so are the coaching centres. Candidates aspiring for the top civil services including the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) are under great pressure and worry. Coaching institutes are shut in the affected areas including New Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Chennai due to COVID-19 scare.

The civil services aspirants were at the last leg of their preparations when the advisory regarding the closure got released. Talking about the effect of closure, many aspirants expressed that the shutdown is like a bolt from the blue as the students are at the last stage of preparation and are concerned over the uncertainty of the time that will be taken to curb the spread of the COVID-19.

Every year, near about five lakh students, apply for the Civil Services Examinations (CSE) conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for around 700-800 posts ( including IAS, IFS, and IPS)

The coaching cycle generally commences in June and ends in March or mid-April. The shutdown has impacted the preparation for current affairs, practice tests, and explanations the most. This year, the examination is scheduled to be held from May 31. To appear in competitive examinations, many aspirants take personal coaching and the closure has suspended their preparation during such crucial time.

However, many institutions that prepare students for Indian civil services examinations claims that by now, institutes must have completed the portion and syllabus related to the screen test. Also, the students who started preparations early are safe for the preliminary examination.

There is a state of panic among the students. According to many aspirants, the syllabus the complete but they couldn’t complete their revision or attend the real-time mock tests.

While the nature of the examination suggests that last-minute preparation and completion of the syllabus will not help students to get through the process, but the challenges go beyond the students. There are teachers who work on an hourly basis in coaching centres and this sudden closure of the same will cause temporary unemployment among them.

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