Protesting Telangana PSC exam group 1 aspirants detained

As protests intensified, police detained Group I aspirants who staged a late-night peaceful demonstration in Ashok Nagar, Hyderabad, calling for the postponement of the upcoming exams scheduled from October 21 to 27. The candidates have raised concerns about the need for a more equitable examination process, particularly in light of Government Order (GO) 29, issued by the Telangana State Public Service Commission (TGPSC) earlier this year.
This order introduced changes to the selection process for Group 1 services, which have raised alarm amongst aspirants from reserved categories, including SC, ST, and BC.
Protesters specifically objected to the new 1:50 selection ratio and the pooling method, arguing that these changes disadvantage them in the recruitment process as against GO 55. They are calling for the exams to be postponed to allow time for dialogue and clarification on these issues.
They seek clarity on whether the Group 1 mains examination would be re-conducted if ordered by the court and whether this re-examination would affect all candidates or only those newly eligible under the new order.
Aspirants have also raised concerns about discrepancies in their hall ticket numbers for the preliminary and mains examinations, fearing possible irregularities.
Government Order (GO) 55, issued in April 2022, allows 50 times the total number of vacancies to be admitted for the written (Main) examination while ensuring compliance with reservation rules for various categories, including community, gender, EWS (Economically Weaker Sections), persons with disabilities (PH), and sports.
In contrast, Government Order (GO) 29, released in February 2024, also states 50 times the total vacancies will be admitted but adds a clause allowing for additional candidates from the merit list beyond the 1:50 ratio to fill any shortfall in reserved categories. This means that if there aren’t enough candidates from reserved categories, more candidates can be selected from the merit list, which has raised concerns among aspirants that this could limit their chances of selection compared to those from non-reserved categories.
Despite the protests, Telangana Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari stated that all arrangements for the Group 1 services mains examinations are in place, with 31,383 candidates set to appear at 46 centres across Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy, and Medchal-Malkajgiri districts. She confirmed that security measures are being implemented at all examination centres to ensure a smooth process, with district collectors and police commissioners supervising the conduct of the exams.