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50% aspirants skip UPSC exam in Lucknow due to covid fear

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Nearly 50 per cent of the candidates opted out of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) preliminary examination 2020 for selection to Indian Administrative and Allied Services in Lucknow.

The exam was conducted on Sunday.

According to sources, as many as 43,921 candidates were registered for the examination at various centres in the city. About 21,790 (49.6 per cent) registered candidates appeared in the first shift for “general studies” paper.

The number dropped further to 21,607 (49.2 per cent) in the second shift for “optional subject”.

This was a sharp drop as compared to 15-20 per cent average dropout seen in previous years.

The majority of the students, who had dropped out of the examination, cited Covid-19 pandemic as the main reason for the high number of absentees.

The candidates said that apart from the fear of catching an infection, many of them could not prepare for the test because of restrictions on coaching classes, group studies, library sessions and mentorship programmes in the past six months.

“Besides lack of preparedness, there was a risk of catching Covid-19 infection, which made many of my batchmates skip the examination,” said Niharika Rastogi, a candidate.

Corona

Covid toll in Karnataka is a worrying sign for state government

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Even though Karnataka recorded the lowest number of Covid deaths in April since the virus struck first in 2020, the state is recording a rise in the positivity rate (1.50 per cent). Five people died from the Covid infections in April as per the statistics released by the state health department. In March, the positivity rate stood around 0.53 per cent. In the first week of April it came down to 0.38 per cent, second week registered 0.56 per cent, third week it rose to 0.79 per cent and by end of April the Covid positivity rate touched 1.19 per cent.

on an average 500 persons used to succumb everyday in the peak of Covid infection, as per the data. Health experts said that the mutated Coronavirus is losing its fierce characteristics as vaccination, better treatment facilities and awareness among the people have contributed to the lesser number of Covid deaths.

During the 4th and 6th of April two deaths were reported in Bengaluru, one in Gadag district on April 8, two deaths were reported from Belagavi and Vijayapura on April 30. The first Covid case was reported in the state in March 2020 and three Covid deaths were recorded in the month. In the following month 21 people became victims to the deadly virus, and May 2020 recorded 22 deaths. The death toll recorded everyday after May crossed three digits. However, the third wave, which started in January 2

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