Allahabad HC quashes UPPCS pre-2021 results, orders 5% reservation to ex-army personnel

The Allahabad High Court, on Tuesday, quashed the results of PCS pre-2021 and directed secretary, UP Public Service Commission (UPPSC) to give benefit of 5% reservation to ex-army personnel on Group-B and Group-C Posts and issue results afresh.

“The results declared for preliminary examination without giving reservation benefits to ex-armymen, are vitiated and quashed. Consequently, the Second Respondent is directed to recalibrate the results of the preliminary examination and give benefit of reservation to ex-army personnel on Group-B and Group-C posts,” the court observed.

“After publication of preliminary examination results within one month, admit cards be issued for the main written examination accordingly and results thereof be declared giving 5% reservation on Group-B posts as well as to ex-army personnel,” the court observed.

Justice Sangeeta Chandra allowed the petition filed by four junior commissioned officers – Satish Chandra Shukla and 3 others, praying for a direction to be issued to the UPPSC to implement 5% reservation for ex- servicemen in the ongoing selection process for Combined State Upper Subordinate Services (PCS) Examination 2021 and Assistant Conservator of Forest/Range Forest Officer Services Examination 2021.

During this, PCS 2021 advertisement was released on 5 February 2021. The last date for online application was March 5, 2021, which was later extended to March 17, 2021.

Meanwhile, amendment about 5% reservation for the ex-servicemen were notified on March 3, 2021.

The petitioners said that despite the publication of the notification before the last date of application, the UPPSC refused to give reservation benefits to ex-servicemen.

The High Court while allowing the petition said that when the 2021 amendment was notified, the online form filling portal was open till March 17, 2021 and had the Commission been cautious, it could have extended reservation benefits to Group-B and Group-C.

On December 1, 2021, UPPSC had declared PCS (preliminary) examination-2021 results, in which 7,688 candidates were declared successful. A total of 3,21,273 of the registered 6,91,173 candidates had appeared in the PCS (preliminary) examination-2021 held at 1,505 examination centres in 31 districts of Uttar Pradesh on October 24, 2021.

The commission had then conducted PCS (Mains)-2021 for candidates declared qualified in the preliminary exam held at centres in Lucknow, Prayagraj and Ghaziabad between March 23 and 27, 2022 in which 5,957 candidates had appeared. UPPSC had declared the result of PCS (Mains)-2021 on July 12, 2022. A total of 1,285 candidates were declared successful in the mains examination for recruitment against 623 posts.

After announcing the interview schedule for Combined State/Upper Subordinate Services Examination-2021, commonly known as PCS-2021, the UPPSC had started interviewing candidates on July 21 and complete the process by August 5.