The Supreme Court has issued a notice to the Central Government and the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) in response to a petition seeking judicial directions for the smooth, transparent, and equitable conduct of SSC recruitment examinations.
The petitioners contended that SSC examinations have been marred by frequent postponements, technical failures, and opaque grievance redressal mechanisms, causing undue hardship and anxiety to candidates preparing for government jobs. They sought judicial intervention to streamline the examination process and implement robust transparency and accountability protocols, particularly in examinations conducted by third-party agencies such as Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and Eduquity.
The bench comprising Justice Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha and Justice Atul S. Chandurkar called for a detailed response from the Centre and SSC on the measures being undertaken to ensure timely scheduling, clear communication, and impartial evaluation of the recruitment tests. The Court emphasized the importance of safeguarding the rights of candidates and maintaining public confidence in the examination process.
In the notice, the Court underscored the pivotal role of recruitment bodies in upholding meritocracy within public service recruitment. It also reflected on the necessity to protect aspirants from arbitrary administrative actions that could jeopardize their career prospects.
The Centre and SSC have been directed to file their replies within the stipulated timeframe, outlining existing systems, challenges faced, and steps taken to ensure fair, efficient, and transparent conduct of SSC exams. The Court’s intervention is viewed as a positive step towards resolving long-standing issues impacting one of India’s largest recruitment examinations.
Appearances:
For the Petitioner: Mr. Saurav Agrawal, Adv.; Mr. Gauhar Mirza, Adv.; Ms. Abiha Zaidi, AOR; Ms. Suriti Chowdhary, Adv.; Mr. Pritam Raman Giriya, Adv.; Ms. Raadhika Chawla, Adv.; Mr. Anuj Manoj Bhave, Adv.
