UPSC exam process flawless: Supreme Court

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has said that the present system of accepting forms for the Civil Services Examination by the Union Public Service Commission, or UPSC, is comprehensive and flawless. It asked the courts and the Central Administrative Tribunal, or CAT, not to allow students, in normal circumstances, to appear for the exam unless they have such a right since it puts burden on the commission and gives false hope to aspiring students.

A bench comprising justices MK Sharma and Anil R Dave allowed the appeal of UPSC secretary and joint secretary, challenging the order of the Andhra Pradesh High Court. It had asked authorities to allow the student, S Krishna Chaitanya, to appear in the interview for IAS examination if found successful in the Civil Services (mains) Examination, 2010.

According to the UPSC, it had not received the application form of the student in question, but the CAT had directed it to permit the student to appear for the preliminary exam. Later, the tribunal had also asked the UPSC to declare his result.

The SC said: “... courts are becoming more sympathetic to the students and... authorities are directed to permit the students to take an examination without ascertaining whether the concerned candidate had a right to take the examination... if such a direction is given, the court must dispose of the case finally on merits before declaration of the result ,” said Justice Dave.