Nithyakalyani Narayanan V
The integrity of the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) is in question following allegations of rigging in the PCS judicial examination. The Commission has confessed to the Allahabad High Court that 50 answer sheets were tampered with during the main exam. This admission has sparked concerns about the fairness of the examination process, with allegations that answer sheets were switched and candidates were passed in exchange for bribes.
In Uttar Pradesh, judges for subordinate courts are appointed through the PCS judicial examination. The UPPSC’s acknowledgment of answer sheet tampering involved incorrect coding, leading to the suspension of three junior officers. The next High Court hearing on this matter is scheduled for July 8.
UPPSC Secretary Ashok Kumar announced actions against five officers and employees implicated in the scandal. Section Officer Shiv Shankar, Review Officer Neelam Shukla, and Assistant Review Officer Bhagwati Devi were suspended for negligence. Departmental proceedings have been initiated against Deputy Secretary Satish Chandra Mishra, and approval has been sought from the state government to act against retired Assistant Review Officer Chandrakala.
The controversy came to light when PCS (J) Main Exam-2022 candidate Shravan Pandey reviewed his answer sheet under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. He discovered discrepancies in the handwriting and torn pages in his English answer sheet, which he claimed prevented him from passing the exam. Pandey subsequently filed a petition in the Allahabad High Court.
On June 5, 2024, the High Court directed the UPPSC to present Pandey’s six answer sheets in court. The Commission, in a hearing on June 7, 2024, stated they are now reviewing 18,042 answer sheets from 3,019 candidates who took the main exam, ensuring confidentiality during the process.
Starting June 20, the Commission began displaying the answer sheets to candidates, with all candidates who took the PCS-J 2022 main examination able to view their copies by July 30. As of now, 232 candidates have reviewed their answer sheets.
The UP Judicial Service Civil Judge (Main) Exam 2022 was conducted from May 22 to May 25, 2023. The results were declared on August 30, 2023, with marks published in November 2023.