2021 Sub-Inspector Recruitment In Limbo: Rajasthan High Court Asks State To Consider Their Candidature For 2025 Vacancies, Relax Age Limit

The Rajasthan High Court has asked the State to consider granting age relaxation of 4 years, instead of 3 years, as notified in the advertisement, to candidates who appeared in the 2021 Sub-Inspector Recruitments process, and had re-applied for the 2025 process.

The bench of Justice Ashok Kumar Jain opined that the matter related to legitimate expectation of the youth and such candidates shall not be disqualified merely because they crossed the maximum age limit owing to administrative delays and irregularities.

“…the recruitment process initiated for Sub Inspectors in year 2021 remain in limbo and still it is undecided. Not only selected candidates are in state of uncertainty but the students, who appeared in public examination are also uncertain about outcome of their challenge.”

The Court was hearing a bunch of petitions filed by the candidates who had appeared in the SI Exam 2021 and were re-applying under the fresh notification of 2025, seeking a 4 year age relaxation.

Since the 2021 recruitment process was challenged and the selections were found to be tainted, it was directed by the Court to cancel all the selections. The challenge against this decision is still pending before a coordinate bench of the High Court, and hence the process initiated in 2021 was in serious doubt.

After the 2021 selection process, subsequent SI recruitment process had come only in 2025 i.e. after a gap of 4 years. However, the age relaxation, in accordance with Rule 11 of the Rajasthan Police Subordinate Service Rules, 1989 (“the Rules”) as notified in the advertisement, was only of 3 years. In this background, the petitions were filed.

After perusing the record, the Court highlighted Rule 46 of the Rules that empowered the Administrative Department of the State to further relax the age, considering the circumstances and hardship of the candidates. It was opined that the present situation was a fit case for the government to consider relaxation of age.

Apart from highlighting the uncertainty surrounding the 2021 recruitments, the Court also stated that the students had a right to fair chance and fair competition on public post under Articles 14, 16 and 21.

Reference was also made by the Court to a sub-committee constituted by the State Government vide its order stated October 1, 2024, that recommended consideration of age relaxation in future exams.

The Court observed that considering a 4 year gap between the two recruitment processes, it was the duty of the Government to protect the interest of youth in greater public interest.

Accordingly, the State was directed to consider the age relaxation of those candidates who appeared in the 2021 recruitment process and had re-applied for the 2025 process to prevent their debarring based on maximum permissible age, within a period of 8 weeks.

Title: Suraj Mal Meena & Ors. v the State of Rajasthan & Ors., and other connected petitions

Citation: 2025 LiveLaw (Raj) 376

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