Rajasthan High Court Quashes RAS 2021 Prelims Result; Directs RPSC To Revise Results & Prepare Fresh List of Candidates Eligible For Mains Exam
In a significant development, the Rajasthan High Court, Jaipur has quashed the preliminary exam results of RAS/RTS Combined Competitive Examination 2021 conducted by Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC). The court directed RPSC to revise the result of the preliminary examination and to prepare a fresh list of candidates eligible to appear in the mains...
In a significant development, the Rajasthan High Court, Jaipur has quashed the preliminary exam results of RAS/RTS Combined Competitive Examination 2021 conducted by Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC).
The court directed RPSC to revise the result of the preliminary examination and to prepare a fresh list of candidates eligible to appear in the mains examination accordingly.
The preliminary examination was conducted on 27.10.2021 and the final answer key was issued on 22.11.2021.
Justice Mahendra Kumar Goyal, observed,
"The upshot of the aforesaid discussion is that the writ petitions are partly allowed in the above mentioned terms. The final answer key dated 22.11.2021 is quashed to the extent as stated hereinabove. Resultantly, the result dated 19.11.2021 stands quashed. The RPSC is directed to revise the result of the preliminary examination and to prepare a fresh list of candidates eligible to appear in the mains examination accordingly."
In the present matter, a batch of writ petitions were filed by the candidates who had failed to secure position in the list of candidates eligible to appear in the mains examination of RAS/RTS Combined Competitive Examination-2021.
The petitioners sought directions to the respondent to revise the result and permit the petitioners to participate in the mains examination on the strength of their merit position.
The court examined the objections raised by the petitioners question-wise and ruled as under:
- Question no.1-The matter is remanded back to the expert committee to re-look into the matter vide reasoned opinion.
- Question no.7- The objections are rejected.
- Question no.31 – The matter is remitted back to the expert committee to consider it afresh vide reasoned opinion.
- Question no.41- Since, the question has two options as correct answer, it is deleted.
- Question no.42- The objections are rejected.
- Question no.43 – The expert opinion is upheld.
- Question no.45 – The objections are rejected.
- Question no.62- The objections are sustained. Option no.1 is held to be the correct answer.
- Question no.84 – The objections are rejected.
- Question no.98 – The matter is remanded back to the expert committee to re-look into the matter vide reasoned opinion.
- Question no.105 - The matter is remanded back to the expert committee to re-look into the matter vide reasoned opinion.
- Question no.122- The expert opinion is upheld.
The court observed that the contour of the judicial review of the expert opinion in the academic matters can broadly be summarised as under:
(1) The answer key should be assumed to be correct unless it is shown to be demonstrably and palpably wrong without any inferential process of reasoning or by a process of rationalisation.
(2) The expert opinion must reflect the reasons behind it, if the answer is based on reasoning.
(3) The experts are supposed to rely upon authentic/standard and impeccable material. Now, the Court ventures into the arena of the respective claim of the parties with regard to correctness of the answer key published by the RPSC qua the disputed answers.
In this regard, the court relied on UPPSC & Ors. v. Rahul Singh [(2018) 7 SCC 254], the Apex Court held that when there are conflicting views, then the court must bow down to the opinion of the experts. The Apex Court added that judges are not and cannot be experts in all fields and, therefore, they must exercise great restraint and should not overstep their jurisdiction to upset the opinion of the experts. The court also relied on Vikesh Kumar Gupta v. State of Rajasthan [Civil Appeal No.3649-3650/2020] and the coordinate bench decision in Jagdish Kumar Choudhary v. RPSC & Ors. [MANU/RH/0332/2020].
The counsels for the petitioners assailing the validity of the final answer key qua the answers to the challenged questions, contended that since answers to these questions are demonstrably and palpably wrong, this Court should intervene in the matter and direct the RPSC to issue revised answer key with correct answers to these questions.
In contrast, Mr. Amit Lubhaya, counsel for the RPSC reiterating the averments of the reply, contended that since the final answer key is based on expert opinion, no interference is warranted by this Court under its very limited jurisdiction.
Case Title: Ankit Sharma & Ors. v. Rajasthan Public Service Commission
Citation: 2022 LiveLaw (Raj) 73