Odisha Civil Services (OCS) Main Examination 2025, conducted by the Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC), commenced on Saturday as scheduled despite calls from candidates and political representatives for its postponement due to severe weather disruptions.
The examination began with Paper I (Odia Language) in the morning session, followed by Paper II (English Language) in the afternoon. Under the revised schedule, the essay paper has been rescheduled for the morning session on November 5, while both optional subject papers will take place on November 7.
Several candidates, alongside Brahmapur MP Pradeep Kumar Panigrahy, had urged the government to defer the exams following heavy rainfall and flooding triggered by Cyclone Arnab in southern Odisha.
However, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari rejected the delay, emphasising that postponing the exams would delay the entire recruitment cycle by at least six months and demoralise prepared aspirants. He noted that nearly 325 candidates from Ganjam and 100 from Gajapati were scheduled to sit for the test.
To assist aspirants from cyclone-hit regions, the state government directed Block Development Officers (BDOs) to facilitate candidate travel.
Additionally, the Ganjam district administration provided free food, accommodation, and transportation facilities for candidates assigned to examination centres in the Brahmapur zone, ensuring minimal disruption to their participation.
