Moving scene: UP exam candidates choke railway stations, bus stands

A total of 37.58 lakh candidates had registered for the examination being conducted by the Uttar Pradesh Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UPSSSC). The exam was slotted in four shifts – two each on Saturday and Sunday — from 10am to 12 noon, and 3pm to 5pm. Roughly, nearly 9 lakh candidates were to appear in each shift in 1,899 centres across the state. In the first shift on Saturday, the attendance was recorded at 66 per cent, while in the second shift, 67 per cent candidates appeared, it is learnt.

Images and videos on social media showed huge crowds in trains and buses across the state, with candidates struggling to reach their centres on time.

The exam was slotted in four shifts – two each on Saturday and Sunday — from 10am to 12 noon, and 3pm to 5pm. (PTI)

The Indian Express spoke to several candidates who appeared for the examination on Saturday and those who were to appear for the examination on Sunday.

Deepak Yadav (22), a resident of Ghazipur who took the exam on Saturday, said he couldn’t board several trains to reach his centre in Prayagraj. “I had to miss multiple trains to Prayagraj which is more than 200 km from my home. I was travelling in a group of 15 candidates from my village. Finally, I somehow managed to get on the Ganga-Kaveri Express. It was packed with candidates and there was just enough space to stand. It was the toughest journey… this examination was important,” said Yadav, who has completed his BA from the Veer Bahadur Singh Purvanchal University.

Manish Singh (23), who has done his BA from Lucknow University and a native of Mau, said he was considering to skip the exam on Sunday. “My exam is on Sunday in Kushinagar. After seeing the images of overcrowded trains and buses, I am thinking of skipping it. There is also floodlike situation in Kushinagar, and I may not be able to reach the centre on time,” he said.

Roughly, 9 lakh candidates were to appear in each shift in 1,899 centres across the state. (PTI)

Aniket Yadav (21) of Varanasi said he somehow reached Prayagraj to write the exam. “I had a ticket, but there was no space even to step on to the train. Then I bought a bus ticket … and somehow reached Prayagraj and appeared in the exam in the evening shift on Saturday. It was a challenging task. I saw people crying because they couldn’t find transportation,” said Aniket.

Kritik Raj Singh, a student of Masters in Social Work at Lucknow University, said he was dreading the journey from Lucknow to Varanasi on Saturday night. “I will go to the railway station at night and see the situation. I have to travel so I will go by bus or train… I will get on to whatever is available,” he said.

In the first shift on Saturday, the attendance was recorded at 66 per cent, while in the second shift, 67 per cent candidates appeared, it is learnt. (PTI)

UPSSSC Chairman Pravir Kumar said, “From our end, we had shared the movement plan of candidates with the Railways and UP State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) two weeks ago. The UPSRTC has deployed 6,500 buses. We had also asked the different zonal heads of Railways to attach extra coaches in trains.”

Asked why candidates were not given centres in their home districts, an official said, “The rules of the UPSSC say candidates should not be given centres in their home districts. This is done to maintain secrecy and fairness.”

The official said only physically disabled are allotted centres in their home districts. The visuals on social media also attracted reactions from BJP MP Varun Gandhi and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, slamming the government for the alleged mismanagement.