Chandigarh, December 13
Incredible, but true. In Punjab, you can make it to the mains of Punjab Civil Service (Judicial Branch) Examinations with negative marks.

A candidate scoring as less as “-10” marks in the preliminary examinations has actually been short-listed for the mains of “PCS (Judicial Branch) Examination-2011”, scheduled to be held for three days from January 20, 2012.

The results of the preliminary examinations were published in leading newspapers and are still available on the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) website.

A perusal of the result makes it amply clear that Tajinder Singh’s candidature has not been frozen, despite his scoring sub-zero marks in the prelims due to negative marking; and the cutoff marks in his category are -10.

The candidate, roll number 8586, was, in fact, more wrong than right in the examinations. Belonging to the category ‘SC, LDESM (lineal descendants of ex-servicemen), Punjab’, Tajinder Singh gave 23 correct answers and a whopping 102 wrong answers to achieve the distinction of being short-listed for the mains with negative marks.

Available information suggests that a candidate scores four marks for every right answer while one mark is deducted for every wrong answer. Mathematically speaking, Tajinder Singh scored 92 marks for giving 23 right answers, but lost 102 marks due to negative marking.

It is believed that Tajinder Singh, with freezing marks to his credit, has still been called for the mains because of the standard procedure of calling more candidates than the number of available posts.

In all, six candidates from the ‘SC, LDESM, Punjab’ category have been short-listed. While the highest marks in the category is 285, 400 plus marks are not uncommon in the general category. The examinations were held under the direct supervision of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The results come at a time when the academic competence of judicial officers belonging to the subordinate judiciary in Punjab and Haryana is under sharp focus.

Only recently, more than 50% of the senior-most sub judges failed to clear the suitability test for promotion as additional district and sessions judges in Punjab.

The failure rate was comparatively less in Haryana. Estimates suggest about 35% could not clear the examination. The tests were conducted by the Punjab and Haryana High Court in May this year.

Among other things, the knowledge of law of judicial officers was put to test. In all, candidates three times the number of posts were called for the examinations in both Punjab and Haryana.

Nothing negative about this

z The candidate, roll number 8586, belongs to the lineal descendants of ex-servicemen category

z Tajinder Singh gave 23 correct & 102 wrong answers

z Mains exam scheduled to be held for three days from January 20, 2012