Nurpur (Himachal Pradesh): Candidates appearing for the main Himachal Administrative Service (HCandidates AS) Examination have demanded setting up at least one examination centre in lower areas of the state.

The HAS examination is scheduled to be held on February 9 at Shimla.

Sources said that as many as 620 candidates from different parts of the state are appearing for 31 vacancies in the Himachal Administrative Services (HAS) and allied services.

The Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (HPPSC) had conducted the preliminary examination in July last year to shortlist 620 candidates at six examination centres set up at Shimla, Solan, Mandi, Una, Dharamsala and Nahan. But the main examination was scheduled to be held in a single examination centre set up at Shimla.

The recent demand for setting up one more examination centre is due to difficulties in traveling from distant places to Shimla.

The HPPSC has to take eight examination papers of different streams so the examinees of distant places have to stay for about 10 days at Shimla.