UPSC civil services exam: No plans to introduce yoga as an optional subject, says government

UPSC office in New Delhi

While there been a lot of speculations regarding the changes in exam pattern, the Central Government on Wednesday clarified that there is no proposal to introduce yoga as an optional subject in UPSC exams. Minister of State of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Jitendra Singh told Lok Sabha the Union Public Service Commission has in 2015 constituted an expert committee under the chairmanship of BS Baswan to comprehensively examine the various issues, raised from time to time regarding the Civil Services Examination, with respect to the eligibility, syllabus, scheme and pattern.

“The report of Baswan Committee is currently under UPSC’s consideration and its recommendations on the report are yet to be received,” Singh said in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.

The government has on Wednesday also informed that there is a shortage of over 1,400 IAS and 900 IPS officers in the country. While the total strength should be 6,396 Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers, however, there are only 4926 officers in the country.

Story continues below this ad

Civil Services is one of the most competitive and popular examination. Every year lakhs of candidates appear for the preliminary round. The exam is held to fill vacant posts for IAS, Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) officers, among others.

Read | UPSC civil services: India facing shortage of over 1400 IAS, 900 IPS officers, says government