Group 1 services Mains exam commences in Telangana

Hyderabad, Oct 21 (PTI) The Group 1 services Mains examination conducted by the Telangana State Public Service Commission commenced on Monday.
    As many as 31,383 candidates have qualified to appear for the exam at 46 centres across the state.
    In a post on 'X', Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy conveyed his good wishes to the candidates appearing for the exam.
    Urging the aspirants to write the test without any worry, he wished that they should become partners in the reconstruction of Telangana.
    Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court refused to stay the exam, saying such an order will lead to "chaos".
    "The examination is to commence at 2 pm… There will be chaos if we stay the exam at this stage," said a bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, when senior lawyer Kapil Sibal, appearing for a petitioner, pressed for an interim stay.
    The quota policy, being followed by the Commission as per a government order (GO), was challenged in the apex court.
    The top court noted the Telangana High Court was seized of the matter and asked it to decide the matter before the declaration of the results.
    Candidates have been protesting against the GO seeking rescheduling of the examinations on the ground that SCs (scheduled castes), STs (scheduled tribes) and backward classes suffer under its reservation provisions.
    Along with the candidates, the opposition BJP and BRS have held intense protests in the run-up to the test demanding its postponement on the grounds that the Government Order (GO) 29 issued by the state government goes against the interests of reservations.
    Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar and BRS leaders on October 19 held protests in solidarity with the aspirants.
    Revanth Reddy had urged the students to appear for the test without any misconceptions, assuring that injustice would not be done to the candidates. The exams will go on till October 27.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)