Group - 1 preliminary exam cancellation case: Telangana HC comes down heavily on TSPSC

Hyderabad: Telangana High Court on Tuesday came down heavily on the TSPSC for not holding the Group - 1 preliminary exam in a proper manner.

A single judge bench of Justice P. Madhavi Devi had canceled the examination.

A division bench of Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili and Justice Anil Kumar Jukanti on Tuesday heard the appeal filed by TSPSC challenging the cancellation order

In her order, Justice Devi highlighted lacunas and the lack of proper security measures. Plus candidates were not subjected to Biometric screening, which gives rise to impersonation etc.

The division bench on Tuesday came down heavily on the TSPSC for not holding the Group - 1 preliminary exam in a proper manner, which led to its cancellation

TSPSC failed in performing its statutory duty, due to which the future of lakhs of students across the state is at stake and this has resulted in driving the students to suicide.

The court expressed displeasure over the callous and lackadaisical approach adopted by the TSPSC in holding the exam for the second time.

Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili said: “The TSPSC is holding this Group -1 preliminary examination after a gap of 20 years. The first time, Group.1 preliminary exam was canceled as there was a question paper leak in another examination. During that time, TSPSC subjected the candidates to biometric screening. However, when the exam was held on 11-6-2023, the biometric system was done away with thereby paving the way for impersonation. Look at the plight of the unemployed youth. The hall tickets didn’t have the numbers and the invigilators did not screen the candidates properly.”

The contention of Banda Shivananda Prasad, Advocate General was brushed aside by the court.

Prasad informed the court that there was no impersonation. The biometric screening system was put in place for the first time when the exam was conducted. During the second time, it was not used due to various reasons. He said it is not possible to use biometric screening for a huge number of candidates. Plus paucity of time to screen the candidates before they enter the exam hall is another reason. He said even the UPSC is not using this biometric method

Prasad said as per Para 13 and 14 of the notification, it has the power to alter/relax a rule, hence, the TSPSC did not put the Biometric system in place during the second time, when the exam was conducted.

Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili pointed out that the TSPSC could have issued an addendum to the notification stating that the Biometric system would not be put in place during the exam, which is not done.

Justice Anil Kumar Jukanti, after hearing the contentions of the AG and the counsel for the petitioner, said that the TSPSC has failed to hold the exam prudently for the second time, even though the exam was canceled earlier due to a question paper leak.

Despite that, the TSPSC was callous in holding the exam and even removed the biometric system during the exam. Such an action of the TSPSC falls under the domain of “fraud”.

Before lunch, the court directed the Advocate General to furnish information as to how many exams TSPSC conducted subjecting candidates to biometric screening and what difficulties TSPSC face in using biometrics.

The case has been adjourned to Wednesday for further hearing.