Calcutta High Court Directs WB Police To Publish Written Test Marks & Category Details Of Constable Candidates Before Physical Exam

The Calcutta High Court has directed the West Bengal Police recruitment authorities to publish the marks obtained in the written examination along with the respective categories of candidates shortlisted for the Physical Measurement Test (PMT) and Physical Efficiency Test (PET) in the ongoing recruitment process for Constables.

Justice Saugata Bhattacharya held that non-disclosure of these particulars undermines transparency and may unfairly deprive eligible candidates of participation in subsequent stages of selection.

The writ petition was filed by candidates who participated in the recruitment process pursuant to the notification dated 5 March 2024 issued under the West Bengal Police (Recruitment of Constables) Rules, 2024. After the written examination, the recruitment authority published a list of 60,178 candidates shortlisted for PMT, PET and viva voce. However, the list did not disclose the marks obtained by the candidates in the written test nor their respective categories, prompting the present challenge.

The petitioners, belonging to different categories including Unreserved, Scheduled Caste, OBC-A and OBC-B, contended that disclosure of marks and category-wise details was essential to maintain transparency and fairness in public recruitment. It was argued that since eligibility to participate in PMT and PET was determined solely on the basis of the written examination, candidates were entitled to know their merit position. Reliance was placed on the Supreme Court's decision in State of West Bengal v. Baishakhi Bhattacharyya (Chatterjee) & Ors.

Opposing the petition, the State contended that disclosure of written examination marks prior to viva voce was not mandatory and could adversely impact the level playing field. The Additional Advocate General relied on the Supreme Court's decision in Harkirat Singh Ghuman v. Punjab & Haryana High Court, submitting that early disclosure of marks might influence the interview process and affect impartial evaluation.

Rejecting the State's submissions, the High Court held that the reliance on Harkirat Singh Ghuman was misplaced, as the recruitment process in the present case involved two intermediate stages—PMT and PET—between the written examination and viva voce. The Court noted that participation in PMT and PET was entirely dependent on performance in the written test, and candidates who failed to find a place in the shortlisted list would be excluded from the selection process altogether.

The Court observed that postponing disclosure of marks and categories until after viva voce would result in bona fide candidates losing their opportunity to participate in PMT and PET, which would already be concluded by then. Emphasising the importance of transparency in public recruitment, the Court held that the written examination formed the basis for shortlisting candidates for the subsequent stages, and therefore, disclosure of marks and categories at that stage was necessary.

Accordingly, the Court directed the respondent authorities to publish, within seven days, the list of candidates shortlisted for PMT and PET along with the marks obtained by them in the written examination and their respective categories as specified in the recruitment notification.

Case Title: Chandan Dhara & Ors. v. State of West Bengal & Ors.

Case No.: W.P.A. No. 484 of 2026

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