UPPSC Mains Exam Postponed: Allahabad HC orders revision of prelims merit list for 609 posts

The Allahabad High Court has directed the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) to postpone the mains examination for 609 Group-A and Group-B posts advertised in April 2024. The exam, which was scheduled for September 28, will now be held only after the Commission issues a revised merit list of the preliminary results.

According to the LiveLaw report, Justice Ajit Kumar passed the order while deciding petitions that challenged the preliminary selection list. The direction came while hearing petitions filed by the Other Backwards Classes (OBC) category candidates challenging their exclusion from the unreserved category despite securing higher marks than general category candidates.

“In view of the above, all these petitions succeed and are allowed to the extent that the respondent U.P. Public Service Commission shall re-draw the merit list of the preliminary examination result of suitable candidates to qualify for next stage of final examination for the purposes of selection and appointment against vacancies advertised vide advertisement No. A-3/E-1/2024 dated 10.4.2024 and thereafter only Commission shall be holding main examination on the basis of such revised preliminary examination result,” the court observed.

The recruitment drive covers posts of Assistant Engineer (Civil/Mechanical), District Horticulture Officer, Food Processing Officer, and Senior Technical Assistant in Chemistry, Botany, Agronomy, and Plant Protection.

Shortlisting ratio not followed

The petitioners further argued that the Commission had not followed the 1:15 shortlisting ratio laid down in the recruitment advertisement. Only 7,358 candidates were declared qualified for the mains against 609 posts, while the rules required at least 9,135 candidates.

They further contended that the unreserved category is not an exclusive pool and that OBC candidates meeting or surpassing the general cut-off should have been included in the open category list.

The court, while examining UPPSC’s chart of shortlisted candidates, noted that the prescribed ratio was followed in reserved categories, but fewer candidates were placed in the unreserved list. It clarified that statutory concessions like age relaxation and fee waiver do not prevent meritorious reserved-category candidates from being considered under the open category.

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Reserved candidates eligible for unreserved list

Citing settled legal principles, the court said: “A candidate may have applied under reserved category but if he is not benefited by any relaxation other than the age and concession in fee at the preliminary examination result, then he can always enter unreserved category not only at the stage of final selection but at the same time when preliminary examination/screening test is held.”

As per LiveLaw, the court further underscored that equality before law requires treating similarly placed candidates alike: “Confining such a candidate to the reserved category only for the reason that list has been published category-wise, would definitely amount to discrimination.”