Police cane charge students opposing PCS exam pattern

ALLAHABAD: Eight students were injured when police used force to disperse a mob of students demanding postponement of PCS-2014 exams at the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) headquarters under the Civil Lines police jurisdiction on Wednesday. The police have taken into custody over a dozen students, who are said to be affiliated with Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on charges of disturbing law and order.
Reports said commotion was created in the area when police force from at least eight police stations chased away the students pelting stones at the UPPSC building. The students became agitated after secretary in-charge and examination controller Mahendra Prasad, with whom a delegation of ABVP had held a meeting to press for their demands, refused to postpone the exams stating that "he was not authorised to do so".
With only three days left for PCS-2014 preliminary exams, the students' organizations have intensified their agitation for a withdrawal of Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) pattern. They are demanding postponing the exams till the format is scrapped. However, the UPPSC is adamant on carrying on with the examination schedule.
On Wednesday morning, students led by president of the district unit of ABVP Viswa Pratap Singh and its vice-president K D Singh, reached UPPSC in a procession demanding written assurances from chairman Anil Kumar Yadav regarding postponement of the exams.
However, after agitating for over two-hours at the entrance, the students were told to send in a delegation for talks. Later, a students delegation comprising Viswa Pratap Singh, K D Singh, Gaurav Singh, Aditya Rai and others was told by Mahendra Prasad that the chairman was out of station and he was not authorised to give a written statement in this connection.
When the students waiting outside came to know about it, they started pelting stones inside UPPSC office after which police resorted to cane charge. The police action further infuriated students who pelted stones at police also.
"The UPPSC is playing with the career of the students. The Akhilesh Yadav government is advising the Central government to change the pattern of Union Public Service Commission, but is not doing so in its own state," said Vineet Dube, a student.
The agitators, including K D Singh, V P Singh, Pradeep Singh and Nirmal sustained injuries while several others were detained by the police.