Featured image for Supreme Court Judgment dated 03-05-2018 in case of petitioner name Rishal & Ors. vs Rajasthan Public Service Commi
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Supreme Court Orders Reevaluation in Rajasthan School Lecturer Recruitment Case

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The case of Rishal & Ors. vs. Rajasthan Public Service Commission is a crucial judgment addressing the fairness of competitive examination results and the judicial review of answer keys. The Supreme Court of India was called upon to examine the validity of the answer key used in the recruitment of school lecturers in Rajasthan.

The judgment highlights the role of expert committees in evaluating examination discrepancies and the responsibility of the examination body to ensure fairness in competitive tests. The Supreme Court, while considering the objections raised by the appellants, ordered a reevaluation of the results and directed the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) to offer appointments to eligible candidates.

Background of the Case

The dispute arose from the recruitment process conducted by the RPSC for school lecturers in Rajasthan. The recruitment examination, held on 17.07.2016, had two papers:

  • Paper-I: General Awareness and General Studies
  • Paper-II: Subject-specific questions

Following the examination:

  • Answer keys were published on 12.08.2016, inviting objections from candidates.
  • The final answer key was published on 18.11.2016, with 18 questions from Paper-I being deleted.
  • Several candidates challenged the correctness of the final answer key, leading to multiple rounds of litigation in the Rajasthan High Court.
  • The Rajasthan High Court dismissed the petitions, affirming the correctness of the answer key.
  • The appellants then approached the Supreme Court, seeking a review of the answer key and the recruitment process.

Key Legal Issues Considered

The Supreme Court examined the following legal questions:

  • Whether the answer key published by RPSC was erroneous.
  • Whether courts can intervene in the evaluation of answer keys.
  • Whether the rejection of certain objections by the expert committee was justified.
  • Whether marks for deleted questions should be redistributed among all candidates.

Arguments of the Parties

Petitioner’s (Rishal & Ors.) Arguments

The appellants argued:

  • The answer key contained multiple incorrect answers, affecting their ranking.
  • The Rajasthan High Court wrongly accepted the flawed answer key.
  • The rejection of their objections by the expert committee was arbitrary.
  • The redistribution of marks for deleted questions was unfair.

Respondent’s (Rajasthan Public Service Commission) Arguments

The RPSC countered:

  • The answer key was prepared by subject experts and underwent proper scrutiny.
  • Corrections were made based on expert committee recommendations.
  • Deleted questions were uniformly handled by redistributing marks.
  • Judicial intervention in examination matters should be minimal.

Supreme Court’s Ruling

The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the petitioners and directed a reevaluation of the results. The Court held:

“The Commission shall revise the result of all the candidates based on the report of the Expert Committee and publish the revised result.”

The Court made several key observations:

  • The correctness of the answer key must be ensured through expert review.
  • Errors in answer keys can affect the merit ranking of candidates.
  • Judicial review is justified where the answer key is demonstrably wrong.
  • All candidates, except those already selected, should have their results revised.

Implications of the Judgment

The Supreme Court’s ruling has significant implications for competitive examinations:

  • Ensures that errors in answer keys do not unfairly disadvantage candidates.
  • Sets a precedent for reevaluating flawed answer keys in recruitment exams.
  • Mandates transparency and fairness in government recruitment processes.
  • Protects the rights of candidates who might have been unfairly excluded.

Key Takeaways

  • Competitive examination answer keys must be scrutinized for accuracy.
  • Courts can intervene where examination authorities fail to correct errors.
  • Redistribution of marks must be done equitably.
  • The Supreme Court’s ruling ensures fairness in public recruitment processes.

Conclusion

The Supreme Court’s judgment in Rishal & Ors. vs. Rajasthan Public Service Commission reinforces the principle that fairness in competitive examinations is paramount. The ruling directs the RPSC to correct errors in the answer key and ensure that meritorious candidates are not deprived of their rightful selection.

This judgment sets a precedent for judicial oversight in public service recruitment, ensuring that examination authorities remain accountable for their evaluation processes.


Petitioner Name: Rishal & Ors..
Respondent Name: Rajasthan Public Service Commission.
Judgment By: Justice A.K. Sikri, Justice Ashok Bhushan.
Place Of Incident: Rajasthan.
Judgment Date: 03-05-2018.

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