– Akhilesh Tripathi
The Allahabad High Court has issued a landmark verdict, establishing a judicial commission to investigate irregularities in the 2022 PCS-J Examination conducted by Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC). This decision arose from petitions filed by candidate Shravan Pandey and others.
The PCS-J preliminary examination took place on February 12, 2023, with 50,837 candidates participating. Of these, 3,145 qualified for the main examination, held on May 23-25, 2023, in two shifts in Prayagraj and Lucknow. The results of the main examination, announced on August 1, 2023, declared 945 candidates successful, and interviews for these candidates were conducted from August 16 to 28, 2023. The final results, announced on August 30, 2023, revealed that 303 candidates, including 165 women, were selected.
The case began when Shravan Pandey alleged tampering with his English answer sheet, leading to his failure in the main examination. During the proceedings, UPPSC admitted that answer sheets of 50 candidates had been swapped due to errors in the evaluation process. An internal investigation revealed that incorrect master barcode labels had been affixed to two bundles of answer sheets, resulting in score discrepancies. This admission triggered further petitions challenging the results and questioning UPPSC’s credibility.
The petitioners argued for appointment letters, citing significant discrepancies and irregularities. The High Court, presided over by Justice Saumitra Dayal Singh and Justice D. Ramesh, consolidated the petitions for review.
During the hearing, the bench observed, “There is a need to improve the standard practices and procedures of the commission to ensure a standardized and completely reliable evaluation process. Improvements are also necessary in the evaluation of answer sheets.”
The bench identified severe deficiencies in the evaluation process, such as unexplained alterations to marks, overwriting without countersignatures, and the awarding of zero marks for descriptive answers. The court criticised the focus on theoretical knowledge in law question papers rather than testing analytical and reasoning abilities, which are essential for judicial roles.
In response to these findings, the court emphasised the need for standardised and reliable evaluation procedures. Observing that the irregularities jeopardised the fairness of the examination, the court appointed a one-member judicial commission, chaired by retired Chief Justice Govind Mathur, to investigate. The commission is tasked with submitting its report by May 31, 2025, with the next court hearing scheduled for the first week of July 2025.
This decision has sparked political and administrative controversy in Uttar Pradesh. UPPSC’s admission of irregularities has tarnished its credibility, raising concerns about its impartiality. Critics have also targeted the BJP-led state government, alleging that it has appointed favoured individuals to UPPSC, potentially compromising its independence. These allegations echo past criticisms by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath of the previous Akhilesh Yadav administration for caste-based favouritism in UPPSC appointments.
The controversy surrounding the PCS-J 2022 examination has placed the UPPSC and the Yogi Adityanath government under intense scrutiny. With public trust in the recruitment process eroded, the investigation’s findings are expected to have significant political and administrative repercussions.
