M A I N   N E W S

Court defers HCS (Executive), allied services exam
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 30
The Haryana Public Service Commission has created “much” confusion by not making public the answer key, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today ruled before deferring the main written examination for HCS (Executive Branch) and other allied services.

The orders came just about two days before the examination was scheduled to be held on a bunch of 21 petitions filed by Jitender Kumar and others against the Haryana Public Service Commission.

Allowing the petitions, Justice Augustine George Masih also directed the HPSC to constitute a committee of experts to consider as many as 151 representations received by the commission regarding the questions. “The Commission shall consider the same and take steps in accordance with the law,” Justice Masih ruled.

Directing the HPSC to publish the answer key of the preliminary examination within three days from today, Justice Masih also asked the commission to call for representations from the candidates within a reasonable time before referring these to the experts committee.

It shall consider the representations before submitting its opinion to the commission, “which shall thereafter take a decision thereon and take appropriate steps in accordance with law”.

Justice Masih directed the adoption of “corrective measures” by the commission in case discrepancies were found in the question papers and answer keys as per the experts’ committee report.

Justice Masih elaborated that the answer key should be corrected, wherever it was found to be incorrect and another option determined by the experts’ committee was found to be correct.

Removal of questions was also ordered, where the answer key was debatable, where more than one correct option was available, where none of the options was correct or where the options were confusing or failed to supply complete information for a clear answer. In General Studies, “answers be evaluated accordingly of all the candidates”. In the case of optional subjects, the commission would have no option, but to order reexamination, if discrepancies in question papers and answer keys required deletion of questions, Justice Masih ruled.

“The result be thereafter compiled and declared only after the above process is given effect to. The main written examination, fixed for September 2, shall stand postponed till the above exercise is completed by the commission,” the Judge concluded.

What HC said

• HPSC has created “much” confusion by not making public answer key
• Directs the commission to constitute an experts’ panel to consider the representations received
• Tells the HPSC to publish answer key of the preliminary examination within three days
• Orders removal of questions, where the answer key was debatable

The ruling

The bench ruled: “Much of the confusion has been created on the part of the commission by not making public the answer key. Had the commission done so, the things would have been clearer, removing doubts in the minds of the candidates. The purpose and intent of the commission is not to stand on hollow esteems or to make a prestige issue in such matters”.