Dates of UGC, Himachal Pradesh Administrative Service exams clash; aspirants in a fix

With dates of two key examinations — University Grants Commission’s (UGC) National Eligibility Test (NET) and Himachal Pradesh Administrative Service Combined competitive exam clashing on June 29, the aspirants are demanding a change in the examination date of the latter.

Since the Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission, which conducts the state civil services exam, has fixed the date on June 29, the aspirants feel the state can shift the date to facilitate the aspirants from appearing in both the examinations.

The UGC, on the other hand, has announced its schedule for NET, which allows aspirants to obtain Junior Research Fellowship besides appointment as Assistant Professor and admission to Ph D courses in 85 subjects. These exams are scheduled to be held from June 25 to June 29. The UGC has already displayed the date sheet on its website and candidates are applying for these exams.

Abhishek, an aspirant for both the exams, said, “If the dates for the state civil services are not shifted, many aspirants like me will have to skip one of the two exams which will unduly deny us an opportunity to compete for both exams. Since one spends a long time, at times years for preparing for the two exams, it will be unjust to skip one of the two exams.”

The aspirants rued that even the timing of the two exams clashed as both are slated to be held in two sessions in the morning and evening, thus preventing one from appearing in both.

With few government jobs being available in the state, many youngsters eye the civil services as well as the UGC NET to get appointed to various class I jobs. They burn midnight oil in equipping themselves to compete for these prestigious exams and spent years appearing and re-appearing as many clear it after one or two unsuccessful attempts.