New Delhi, Oct 20 (IANS): With an aim to assist the candidates belonging to the Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC), Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) and Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PWBD), the Union Public Service Commission on Wednesday opened a toll free helpline number.

The toll free number -- 1800118711 -- will provide assistance to these candidates who have applied or intend to apply for examinations or recruitment.

According to the UPSC officials, the dedicated helpline will remain operational on all working days during the office hours. The candidates of above categories facing any difficulty in filling up the application form of any examination, recruitment or for any queries concerning the Commission's examinations, recruitment, may contact this number for assistance.

The officials also said that this initiative is also a part of the Commission's endeavour of undertaking queries of such candidates in a friendly manner when the Nation is celebrating the "Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav" to commemorate the monumental occasion of the 75th Anniversary of Indian Independence and this step is a part this grand celebration.

The UPSC is the government's main recruiting agency for A grade services in India. It conducts entrance examinations for the prestigious Civil Services, Combined Defence Services, and National Defence Academy.

Apart from these examinations, the UPSC also conducts entrance examinations for the Indian Forest Services and Group A examination for Central Armed Police Force.

The examination pattern however varies but most of the examinations comprise three stages of the selection process. The first stage is the preliminary exam, the second is the mains and the last is the interview.