JNU students' union protests against changes in UPSC syllabus

Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union held a protest against the changes in syllabus for civil services examination conducted by the Union Public Service and demand a review of the exam pattern.

The protesters objected to the exclusion of foreign languages mainly Persian and Arabic from the list of optional subject for the mains examination.

A five-member delegation of JNUSU met a senior official of Department of Personnel and Training to register their protest.

"JNUSU is running a campaign for last one month against the recent changes in the UPSC syllabus and exam pattern - such as the exclusion of foreign languages as optional subjects in UPSC and the new CSAT pattern for preliminary exam," JNUSU President Akbar Chawdhary said.

"We have not got any positive response from the Commission and even getting an appointment with Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions V Narayanasamy has proved futile so far.

"We are left with no choice and will mobilise youths to come on the road and march toward parliament in the beginning of winter," said Chawdhary.

JNUSU was joined by students from Delhi University and Jamia Millia Islamia in protest at Jantar Mantar here.

"The UPSC's decision of excluding languages such as Arabic, Persian, German, Spanish and Russian from its entrance exam is downright discriminatory. The same government which is speaking of globalisation is excluding these languages which are being taught in under graduate and post graduate and research level in several universities across the country," added Akbar.

JNUSU has also demanded additional attempts and three years of age relaxation to all categories of students who are caught in the transition of syllabus change of 2011 and 2013.

PTI