Telangana High Court Issues Notices to TGPSC Over Group-1 Mains Examination Revaluation Petition
"Telangana High Court issues notices to TGPSC over a petition alleging irregularities in the Group-1 Mains exam evaluation. Candidates demand revaluation for fairness. Next hearing on April 21."
Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court, on Monday, issued notices to the Telangana State Public Service Commission (TGPSC) in response to a petition filed by 23 candidates seeking a revaluation of the Group-1 Mains examination answer scripts.
The case, presided over by Justice Namavarapu Rajeshwar Rao, raises concerns over alleged irregularities and a lack of transparency in the evaluation process, prompting legal scrutiny.
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Petitioners Allege Lack of Transparency in Evaluation
The petition, spearheaded by S Naresh and 22 other aspirants, calls for a thorough review of the evaluation methodology adopted by TGPSC. Their legal counsel contended that the evaluation of the Group-1 answer scripts lacked transparency, raising doubts about the fairness of the selection process.
One of the primary allegations brought forth was that the evaluators appointed by TGPSC were not subject matter experts in the respective disciplines. This concern has sparked fears of incorrect or arbitrary grading, which could impact the merit list unfairly. Furthermore, the petitioners emphasized that several evaluators lacked proficiency in Telugu and Urdu, the mediums in which many candidates had written the examination.
Language Barrier and Its Impact on Candidates
A significant point of contention in the petition is the claim that evaluators who assessed Telugu and Urdu medium papers were neither fluent in these languages nor local subject matter experts. The petitioners argued that this discrepancy placed a large section of candidates at a disadvantage, as their answers may not have been graded accurately due to the evaluators’ unfamiliarity with the language nuances and terminologies.
This claim has raised questions about the commission’s commitment to ensuring a fair evaluation process. Candidates who wrote in Telugu or Urdu fear that they may have been marked unfairly compared to their English-medium counterparts.
TGPSC’s Defense: Premature Petition
TGPSC’s legal representative, PS Rajasekhar, countered the petition by stating that the plea was premature since the results of the Group-1 Mains examination had not yet been announced. He argued that raising objections at this stage was unwarranted and could potentially disrupt the examination process before its completion.
However, the petitioners’ counsel refuted this argument, highlighting a March 13 press release issued by TGPSC, which claimed that 351 subject matter experts had been appointed across 12 subjects nationwide. The petitioners assert that this press release contradicts their experience and the reports from various candidates regarding the evaluators’ qualifications.
Judicial Intervention: Notices Issued to TGPSC and State Government
After considering the arguments presented by both sides, Justice Namavarapu Rajeshwar Rao directed the issuance of notices to the Telangana State Public Service Commission and the State government, seeking their official explanations regarding the matter. The court has scheduled the next hearing for April 21, where further discussions and evidence submissions are expected.
Implications for Group-1 Aspirants
This legal challenge could have significant implications for Group-1 aspirants across Telangana. If the court finds merit in the petitioners’ claims, it could lead to a revaluation of answer scripts or a reform in the evaluation process to ensure greater transparency and fairness in future examinations.
Moreover, the case sheds light on broader issues concerning public service examinations, particularly the importance of hiring qualified subject matter experts and ensuring linguistic compatibility in the evaluation process. Such concerns, if left unaddressed, may affect the credibility of competitive exams in Telangana and beyond.
