New Delhi, Feb. 7 -- The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has overhauled its examination centre allocation framework for the civil services examination, introducing a significant reform aimed at supporting Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) candidates by removing capacity caps and ensuring they are allotted exam centres of their choice, officials said on Friday. "Initially, the existing capacity of each centre will be utilised by both PwBD and non-PwBD candidates. However, once a centre reaches full capacity, it will no longer be available for selection by non-PwBD candidates, while PwBD candidates will continue to have the option to select the same centre. Additional capacity will be created wherever required to ensure that no PwBD candidate is denied their preferred examination centre," a UPSC spokesperson said. Explaining the rationale behind the move, UPSC chairman Ajay Kumar said that an analysis of examination centre data over the past five years revealed that certain centres, including Delhi, Cuttack, Patna, and Lucknow, reach capacity at a very early stage due to high application volumes, creating difficulties for PwBD candidates. "With the revised mechanism, every PwBD candidate will be assured of their preferred examination centre..." he said. Meanwhile, the commission has also expanded its network of examination centres to reduce pressure on high-demand locations, adding new centres in Srinagar and Imphal, among others. "Meerut has been added to decongest Delhi-NCR, Kanpur to ease pressure around Lucknow, and Bhubaneswar to supplement centres near Cuttack. These three centres have been added for the preliminary examination, increasing the total number of prelim centres from 80 to 83," the spokesperson said. "For the Mains examination, the number of centres has been increased from 24 to 27, with the addition of Bhubaneswar, Srinagar, and Imphal."...