Imphal: Braving all odds the civil service more than 3,000 aspirants appeared for their preliminary examination conducted by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) in Imphal on Sunday. There has been no report of any untoward incident today.

“Altogether, 4,051 candidates had registered for UPSC preliminary tests at 12 sub-centres in Imphal. However, due to the ongoing violence, 700 had opted to appear for the exam at centres outside the state,” an official of the Manipur Public Service Commission said.

In view of the Manipur violence that began on May 3, the Union Public Service Commission had given options to civil service aspirants from the state to appear for the preliminary tests at centres in Aizwal, Kohima, Shillong, Kolkata and Delhi, he said.

Documents such as admit card would serve as curfew pass on exam day, the official said. Security has been tightened across the state, following the ethnic clashes between the majority Meitei community and the Kukis, a police officer said.

G Leivon, a tribal candidate appearing for the exam from Bishnupur district, said, “I didn’t face any problem coming to Imphal to appear for the exam. In the greater Imphal area, the situation is normal. We hope that there would be no problem during and after the tests.”

Another candidate Th Nikita felt that her preparation for the UPSC prelims, one of the most important stages for aspiring civil servants in the country, was affected to some extent due to the suspension of the internet.