E-Mitra's Alleged Error Can't Help Candidate Who Failed To Correct Caste Category Within Permitted Window: Rajasthan High Court
The Rajasthan High Court has dismissed the petition filed by a candidate for the post of Class-IV teacher, who was seeking change of her category from OBC to General while contending that the mistake was inadvertent committed by the e-mitra operator who filled her form, and was not deliberate on her part. The division bench of Justice Vinit Kumar Mathur and Justice Sandeep Shah affirmed that...
The Rajasthan High Court has dismissed the petition filed by a candidate for the post of Class-IV teacher, who was seeking change of her category from OBC to General while contending that the mistake was inadvertent committed by the e-mitra operator who filled her form, and was not deliberate on her part.
The division bench of Justice Vinit Kumar Mathur and Justice Sandeep Shah affirmed that the status of a candidate in a competitive selection had to remain consistent throughout the process. It was observed that the petitioner was given enough opportunities to rectify the error, however, the rectification application was moved only after the declaration of the result.
“The fact that the appellant waited for the declaration of the result itself reflects that the appellant had purposely chosen not to change the category in the form filled up by her.”
For context, the petitioner had participated in the recruitment process of Class-IV teacher. It was her case that though she belonged to the General Category, while filling up the application form, the E-Mitra operator inadvertently mentioned her category as “OBC”.
She contended that after her admit card was issued and the mistake was realized, she immediately approached the respondent-Board to correct her category, but it was not done. Subsequently, the written examination was held, and she secured 72.95 marks, while the cut-off for General category was 32 marks.
After the results were published, her name was reflected in the OBC category. Another representation was made to the Board for correction of the category which was not considered. Thereafter a petition was filed before the Court which was dismissed by the single judge. Hence, the appeal was filed.
It was argued by the petitioner that the discrepancy arose owing to mistake of the E-Mitra Operator and immediately upon noticing the same in her admit card, she requested for correction. It was contended that depriving her of the consideration for appointment on such a technical count, despite her securing merit, would cause grave prejudice.
On the contrary, the State argued that she had multiple opportunities to rectify the mistake, but it was not availed. Hence, she could not be permitted to correct the same at a later stage after the prescribed window for corrections was closed.
After hearing the contentions, the Court perused the advertisement for the post that laid down the correction window, and referred to the Supreme Court decision in J.& K. Public Service Commission Vs. Israr Ahmad in which it was held,
“…selection process constitutes an integrated continuum, and that a candidate who qualifies at the preliminary stage in the General category cannot alter that status at the stage of the main examination on the ground that the requisite certificate was obtained subsequently. The status of a candidate in a competitive selection must remain consistent throughout the process; once a candidate opts for a particular category at the threshold, that choice binds her at every subsequent stage. Permitting a mid-course change of category would undermine the principle of equal treatment among all candidates.”
The Court further highlighted that the petitioner was given sufficient opportunities to undertake the rectification which were not availed.
Accordingly, in this background, the appeal was dismissed.
Title: Munni Devi v State of Rajasthan & Anr.
Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (Raj) 395