SYNOPSIS
AND LIST OF DATES
The present petition poses for the kind
consideration of this Hon’ble Court wherein the High Court erred in adopting a hypertechnical
approach and without applying its mind to the
factual matrix of the case, dismissed the Review
petition preferred by the petitioner in limnie, on the basis of technicalities
stating that, “the candidates who have
successfully cleared have not been impleaded as respondents, the petitioner is
simply intending to keep the issue alive and declining the request to adjourn
the matter, dismissed the Review petition for non prosecution”.
The High Court failed to appreciate that the method of
moderation of marks applied by UPSC in evaluating answer sheets of the
candidates pertaining to Civil Services (Main) Examination is unreasonable and
arbitrary and thus violative of Articles 14 and 16 of
Constitution of India.
The Courts below failed to appreciate that the
method of scaling of marks applied by UPSC in evaluating answer sheets of the
candidates pertaining to Civil Services (Main) Examination was held to be
arbitrary and illegal by Supreme Court in the decision reported as Sanjay Singh
and Anr. v. U.P. Public Services Commission: (2007) 2 Scale 1. To bring home
the point that scaling was being applied by UPSC in evaluating answer sheets of
the candidates pertaining to Main Examination particular emphasis may be placed
on the averment contained in the additional affidavit filed by UPSC in the High
Court in Writ Petition (Civil) No. 1271/2006 titled 'Neel Ratan v. Union of
India and Ors.' that 'the Commission, therefore, considers the statistical
position of each subject to find out if the valuation has been strict or
liberal by the Head Examiner/Paper Setter and does statistical moderation by
linear transformation wherever considered necessary'.
The courts below failed to appreciate that the
aforesaid averment when read in conjunction with the report titled
"Statistical moderation of teachers assessment" commissioned by the
qualifications and curriculum authority, United Kingdom and prepared by John
Wilmut and Jennifer Tuson (which report was filed and particularly relied by
the petitioner before the learned Tribunal), brings out that statistical
moderation of marks by linear transformation is nothing but linear scaling of
marks.
The Courts below failed to appreciate the
overwhelming material produced by the petitioner strongly suggesting that there
may have been manifold irregularities in the Civil Services Examination
conducted by UPSC in the years 2007-2009 and faced with such a situation, it
was incumbent upon the Courts below to
direct UPSC to produce the answer-sheets of the petitioner pertaining to Main
Examination and redress the doubts raised by the petitioner regarding the
sanctity of the said examination(s).
The Courts
below failed to appreciate the flaws/facts shown by petitioner in
Moderation/Examination System such as mix up of Roll Numbers of other
examinations, faulty randomisation, lack of Model Answersheets/Instuction sheet,
overwriting on marks given by original
examiner multiple times, disproportionate selection from each subject and
disproportionate selection from all slots of roll numbers, inadequate sample
size, faulty sampling method and overall neglect to basic requirements to use
any statistical method for statistical moderation/scaling, in disregard to the
law held by this Hon’ble Court in Civil Appeal No. 6454 of 2011 in CENTRAL
BOARD OF SECONDARY EDUCATION & Anr. v. Aditya Bandopadhyay & Ors
regarding providing candidates photocopy of their answersheets by denying same
on various grounds.
The Courts below failed to appreciate that in
recent past, a number of instances have come to light intimating serious
irregularities in the conduct of the examinations. Those instances show that
the UPSC is not infallible and that the recruitment process of UPSC is not full
proof. It is further submitted that where many instances have come to public
knowledge, there may be several others which may not come into light due to the
closed system of recruitment process and this itself hurts the integrity of the
highest agency of recruitment in India.
That with respect to the allegations pertaining to method adopted
by UPSC for evaluation of answer sheets of candidates pertaining to the Main
Examination being arbitrary and illegal, following averments were made in the
application. It is respectfully submitted that the said lower marks of the
Petitioner may be due to the
manner of evaluation applied by the Respondent for evaluation of Answer-Books
of Main's Examination which
includes the scheme of Moderation as disclosed by the Respondent in several
cases including the case of Subash Chandra Dixit v. U.P. Public Service
Commission S.L.P. (civil) 23723/2002 before Hon'ble Supreme Court and before
Hon'ble Delhi High Court in case of Neel Ratan v. union of India and Ors. CWP
No. 1271 of 2006.
This Hon’ble Court in the case of Sanjay Singh v. U.P.
Public Service Commission: (2007) 3 SCC 720
petitions under Article 32 of Constitution of India were filed before Supreme Court
by the unsuccessful candidates who appeared in the examinations conducted by
Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (herein after referred to as the
"UPPSC") in the year 2003 for recruitment to the posts of Civil Judge
(Junior Division). It was held by this Hon’ble Court that the material
placed does not disclose that the Commission or its expert committee have kept
key factors in view in determining the system of scaling. We have already
demonstrated the anomalies/absurdities arising from the scaling system used.
The Commission will have to identify a suitable system of evaluation, if
necessary by appointing another committee of experts.
CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF EVENTS:
Every
year, Union Public Service Commission (hereinafter referred to as the
"UPSC") conducts Civil Services Examination for the purposes of
recruitment to Indian Administrative Service and other allied services.
The
Civil Services Examination comprises of two successive stages; namely,
(i)
Civil Services Preliminary
Examination (Objective Type) for the selection of candidates for appearing in
the main examination, and
(ii)
Civil Services Main examination
(Written and Interview) for the selection of candidates for the various
services and posts.
The
Preliminary Examination consists of two papers of objective type (multiple
choice questions) in two subjects, namely, General Studies and one subject to
be selected from the list of optional subjects set out in paragraph 2 of the
plan of examinations notified by the UPSC and carries 150 and 300 marks
respectively. The marks obtained in the preliminary examination are not
considered and counted for determining the final order of merit of the
successful candidates at the main examination.
The
candidates who are declared successful in the Preliminary Examination are
required to appear at the Main Examination which consists of written
examination as well as viva voce test. The written examination consists of nine
papers; namely, two papers each for two optional subjects, two papers pertaining
to General Studies, one paper pertaining to English, one paper pertaining to
Regional Language and one paper pertaining to an essay written by the
candidate. The marks pertaining to English and Regional Language are not
counted for purposes of ranking in the examination. The papers pertaining to
optional subjects and General Studies carry 300 marks whereas the paper
pertaining to essay carries 200 marks, thus totaling 2000 marks in all. The
viva voce test carries 300 marks. The marks obtained by a candidate in the Main
Examination (written as well as viva voce) determine his final ranking. The
successful candidates are allotted various services having regard to their
ranking in the examination and the preferences expressed by them for various
services and posts.
2007-2009 The
petitioner herein is one of the few civil services aspirants, who appeared in
Civil Services Examinations conducted by UPSC in the years 2007, 2008 and 2009.
The petitioner successfully cleared the Preliminary Examination in the year he
sat, but not recommended finally after the
Main Examination.
2009 Aggrieved
by the marks awarded to him in the Main Examination, the petitioner namely,
Prashant Ramesh Chakkrawar and Pranav Kumar Vatsa, filed O.A. No. 1565/2010
under Section 19, Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985 along
with other civil services aspirants before the Principal Bench of Central
Administrative Tribunal, New Delhi inter-alia, alleging that the possibility
that there were irregularities in the Civil Services Examination conducted by
UPSC in the years 2007-2009 cannot be ruled out inasmuch as various
irregularities have been detected in the Civil Services Examinations conducted
in the past several years and that the process adopted by UPSC for evaluation
of answer sheets of the candidates pertaining to Main Examination is arbitrary
and illegal.
13.05.2009 The Ld.
Tribunal dismissed the O.A. No. 1565/2010 filed by the petitioner herein, so as to keep parity
with other similar cases.
18.09.2010 The
petitioner filed WP (C) No. 6586/2010 before the Hon’ble High Court of
judicature at New Delhi against the order dt. 13.05.2009.
28.09.2010 The above
writ petition was listed alongwith a batch of matters having similar issues and
after the course of hearing, the judgment was reserved by the Hon’ble High
Court without issuing notice to the respondents.
05.10.2010 (Impugned
Order) The Hon’ble High Court of Judicature at New Delhi dismissed all the writ
petitions including WP (C) No. 6586/2010 by a common order.
29.07.2011 (Impugned
Order) A Review petition RP Nos. 490/2010 was preferred by the petitioner here
before the Hon’ble High Court which was dismissed by the Hon’ble Court for
non-prosecution.
Hence,
the instant SLP.
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
CIVIL
APPELLATE JURISDICTION
SPECIAL
LEAVE PETITION (CIVIL) NO. OF 2011.
(Petition under Art. 136 of the
Constitution of India against the impugned Final Judgment and order dated 29.07.2011
passed by the High Court of Judicature at New Delhi RP Nos. 490/2010 in WP (C)
No. 6586/2010).
WITH
PRAYER FOR INTERIM RELIEF
IN
THE MATTER OF:-
DR. PRASHANT RAMESH CHAKKARWAR
---- PETITIONER
AND
UNION
PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION (UPSC) &
ORS.
----
RESPONDENTS
FOR INDEX PLEASE SEE INSIDE
ADVOCATE FOR THE PETITIONER: MR. AMIT
SHARMA
IN
THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
CIVIL
APPELLATE JURISDICTION
(ORDER
XVI RULE 4(1)(a))
SPECIAL LEAVE
PETITION (CIVIL) NO. OF 2011.
(UNDER ARTICLE 136 OF
THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA)
BETWEEN POSITION
OF PARTIES
IN THE IN THIS
HIGH
COURT HON’BLE COURT
DR.
PRASHANT RAMESH CHAKKARVAR,
S/O
MR. RAMESH D. CHAKKARWAR
RAMESH
SADAN, VASANT NAGAR,
UMARKHED,
DIST. YAVATMAL,
MAHARASTRA.
--
PETITIONER PETITIONER
AND
1.
UNION PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION
DHOLPUR HOUSE
SHAHJAHAN
ROAD,
NEW DELHI-69
2.
UNION OF INDIA
THROUGH
MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL,
PUBLIC GRIEVANCES
AND PENSION,
DEPARTMENT OF
PERSONNEL AND TRAINING,
THROUGH
SECRETARY,
NEW DELHI.
-- RESPONDENTS RESPONDENTS
TO
THE
HON’BLE CHIEF JUSTICE OF INDIA
AND
HIS COMPANION JUSTICES OF THE
HON’BLE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA.
THE HUMBLE PETITION OF
PETITIONER ABOVENAMED
MOST RESPECTFULLY SHOWETH:-
1.
That the petitioner
is filing this Special leave petition against the impugned orders dated
05.10.2010 in WP (C) No. 6586/2010 and dated 29.07.2011 in RP Nos. 490/2010 passed
by the Hon’ble High Court of Judicature at New Delhi.
2.
QUESTIONS
OF LAW:-
A.
Whether the High Court erred in adopting a hypertechnical
approach and without applying its mind to the
factual matrix of the case, dismissed the Review
petition preferred by the petitioner in limnie, on the basis of technicalities?
B.
Whether the High
Court while exercising its extraordinary jurisdiction under Article 226 is duty
bound to take all the facts and circumstances into consideration and decide for
itself whether a case for interference is made out or not?
3.
DECLARATION
IN TERMS OF RULE 4 (2)
That the petitioner
states that no other petition seeking leave to appeal has been filed by him
against the impugned Order.
4.
DECLARATION
IN TERMS OF RULE 6
That the Annexures
produced alongwith the Special Leave Petition are the true copies of the
pleadings/documents which formed part of the records of the case in the Court
below against whose orders the leave to appeal is sought for in this petition.
5.
That the petitioner
is filing said special leave petition interalia amongst the following:-
GROUNDS
A.
BECAUSE the High Court erred in adopting a hypertechnical approach in
the instant case and without applying its
mind to the factual matrix of the case, dismissed the Review
petition preferred by the petitioner in limnie, on the basis of technicalities
stating that, “the candidates who have
successfully cleared have not been impleaded as respondents, the petitioner is
simply intending to keep the issue alive and declining the request to adjourn
the matter, dismissed the Review petition for non prosecution”.
B.
BECAUSE the High Court failed to appreciate that the method of moderation of marks
applied by UPSC in evaluating answer sheets of the candidates pertaining to
Civil Services (Main) Examination is unreasonable and arbitrary and thus
violative of Articles 14 and 16 of
Constitution of India.
C.
BECAUSE the Courts below failed to appreciate that the method
of scaling of marks applied by UPSC in evaluating answer sheets of the
candidates pertaining to Civil Services (Main) Examination was held to be
arbitrary and illegal by Supreme Court in the decision reported as Sanjay Singh
and Anr. v. U.P. Public Services Commission: (2007) 2 Scale 1. To bring home
the point that scaling was being applied by UPSC in evaluating answer sheets of
the candidates pertaining to Main Examination particular emphasis may be placed
on the averment contained in the additional affidavit filed by UPSC in the High
Court in Writ Petition (Civil) No. 1271/2006 titled 'Neel Ratan v. Union of
India and Ors.' that 'the Commission, therefore, considers the statistical
position of each subject to find out if the valuation has been strict or
liberal by the Head Examiner/Paper Setter and does statistical moderation by
linear moderation wherever considered necessary'.
D.
BECAUSE the courts below failed to appreciate that the
aforesaid averment when read in conjunction with the report titled
"Statistical moderation of teachers assessment" commissioned by the
qualifications and curriculum authority, United Kingdom and prepared by John
Wilmut and Jennifer Tuson (which report was filed and particularly relied by
the petitioner before the learned Tribunal), brings out that statistical
moderation of marks by linear transformation is nothing but linear scaling of
marks.
E.
BECAUSE the Courts below failed to appreciate the
overwhelming material produced by the petitioner strongly suggesting that there
may have been manifold irregularities in the Civil Services Examination
conducted by UPSC in the years 2007-2009 and faced with such a situation, it
was incumbent upon the Courts below to
direct UPSC to produce the answer-sheets of the petitioner pertaining to Main
Examination and redress the doubts raised by the petitioner regarding the
sanctity of the said examination(s).
F.
BECAUSE the Courts below failed to appreciate some of the flaws/facts shown by
petitioner in moderation/examination system as explained below:
i.
It is
evident from the additional affidavit given by UPSC in Writ Petition (C) No. 1271/2006 that the UPSC
applies a system of moderation/scaling on the marks awarded by the examiners in
the compulsory as well as optional subjects on various grounds like assumed
interexaminer and intersubject variability. It may be noted that the official
Gazette of the Ministry of Personnel supplied along with the form for the Civil
services (main) examination 2008 nowhere mentions that any system of
moderation/scaling would be applied to change the marks awarded by the examiner
to the candidates. Introducing such a practice at the back of the petitioner
and without his knowledge places him at a gross disadvantage and leaves vide
scope for a lot of questions to be raised As is evident from the additional
affidavit given by UPSC in Writ Petition (C) NO. 1271/2006 the examiners of the
various subjects meet before evaluation of answer books of the written papers
to set the standards and weightage for various aspects of answers and also
carry out sample evaluation. This leaves no scope for subjectivity contrary to
the claims of UPSC and thus no need for moderation/scaling in the written
examination.
Further, as per the statement given by
UPSC in WP (C) 2929/2007 dated 4.05.2007 in the Hon'ble High Court of Delhi,
the UPSC does not prepare any answer keys for the mains (UPSC in decision
to Appeal no CIC/WB/A/2007/00694 of 2008
has also clarified that No Instruction sheets as an alternative to Model
answers are maintained by UPSC). This is contrary to the norms of evaluation
fixed as per UPSC affidavit in WP (C) 1271/2006.
Further, this goes contrary to the basic
premise of application of interexaminer moderation i.e. examiner's deviation
from the norms fixed for evaluation (which are evidently missing as per the
statement given in WP (C) 2929/2007.) The norms of evaluation, thus, evidently
do not exist in writing. No examiner can remember in ditto the oral discussion
of norms for a period of evaluation extending over days and months. Even on
intersubject moderation there is no clarity on who shall decide the variation
as claimed in the difficulty level of different optional subjects. It is
pertinent to note that the various choices offered to the candidate within a
single question paper of a single optional subject ultimately leads to 288
different combinations of same question paper with atleast one question different,
from which the candidate has complete freedom to choose any one combination.
Nobody probably takes into account the choice made by an individual candidate
which may vary from too difficult to too easy within the same paper because of
such large number of combinations.
Thus, to decide on the difficulty level
from overall appearance of the paper or from maximum marks scored in different
subjects will place those candidates at disadvantage who have consciously
chosen most difficult set due to an inherent in depth knowledge of the subject.
Similarly there were 3888 different sets of question papers for the subject of
General Studies I and 324 different sets for the subject of General Studies II
from which the candidates had complete freedom to choose anyone set
respectively. To decide upon the subjective liberality/strictness of marking
based on a limited number of samples drawn from each examiner which will not be
representative of the complete number of sets of question papers again amounts
to treating unequals as equals and thus violates the fundamental rights of the
candidates. Further,
perusal of the book on scaling –“Scaling Techniques What Why and How” by
Natarajan and Gunasekaran will in itself demonstrate the defects in application
of moderation/scaling. The above stated book accepts in the preface itself that
scaling is an unknown concept in India, has to be applied only on mass
conducted examinations where standards for various examiners are different. The
book accepts at page 8,46,76, 80 of 1986 edition Association of Universities
press, that only one university all over India has ever applied the system and
that too where answer books exceed lakhs and lakhs of candidates, with number
of examiners exceeding thousands . This is completely different from the
situation in Civil Services (main) 2008 Examination where total candidates were
around 9000. The perusal of the above stated book demonstrates that the system
is applied only to determine pass/fail cutoff of candidates and that too in
mass conducted examinations like those of matriculation. Further, it would also
be clear from the same book that the system of moderation/scaling has to be
applied only where candidates from different universities/institutes/boards
following different standards are to be admitted to a single institute or
course based on the marks scored by them in their respective institutes. At
page 34, 1986 edition the authors admit that candidates writing an examination
in English are at an inherent disadvantage qua those candidates writing in
mother tongue.
Thus, there should not have been a need
to further downscale applicant's marks as he wrote his examination in English.
The book in its preface accepts that scaling has to be applied uniformly on all
candidates. Further, research papers on statistical moderation prove that the
method lacks credibility, validity, transparency, accountability and
acceptability. Also it has been given up all over the world as a method of
bringing parity between various examinations. UPSC, by its own admission in an
affidavit submitted in WP (C) 1271/2006 before the Hon'ble High Court of Delhi,
uses the method of Linear Transformation for moderation. However, in SLP
23723/2002 before the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India, UPSC in a counter
affidavit discredited the same system. Also as per UPSC’s own admission in the
affidavit in SLP 23723/2002, Kothari Commission while recommending use of
scaling, had recommended a continuous review of the system. Such a review has
probably never taken place. Even if such a review is shown to have been done,
in view of the facts stated, it remains incomplete and faulty.
ii.
Further it
has come to the knowledge of the petitioner through the letters from UPSC dated
8/3/07 & 31/5/07 in response to a request under RTI Act 2005 that UPSC has
been indulging in a mix up of roll no. of various examinations conducted by
UPSC each year. Under such circumstances a lot of doubts and questions remain
unanswered regarding the credibility of the whole system. Further, under such
circumstances the randomization of roll numbers and thus of answers sheets and
thus normal distribution essential for application of any statistical method
becomes absolutely faulty. This in itself is a sufficient ground to strike down
the application of scaling as well as moderation. Since the process from filing
of the application form to allotment of the roll no. is all computerized as the
application form is computer readable and a special column exists on the form
to disclose the information regarding the examination for which the candidate
is applying, there is no question of any mix up of roll no. of various
examinations. Occurrence of such a mix up itself demonstrates some sort of
manipulation going on in the UPSC.
As per the information, the roll no.
allotted for Civil Services Examination each year are much more than the total
number of candidates who apply for the same. This renders the whole process an
exercise full of maladies. As per the information evident from the selection
lists of 2001-2006, out of the total selections each year, almost half of the
selections take place from 1st 50,000 roll no and almost 70% of the
selection is from 1st 1,00,000 roll no leaving the remaining
3,00,000 candidates whose roll no fall beyond 1,00,000 high and dry. This also
proves lack of proper randomization and that the method of selection is faulty.
This major fault has been highlighted also in the WP (C) 165 of 2005 in the
Supreme Court Of India decided on 9/1/2007 Sanjay Singh and Anr. Vs U.P. Public
Service Commission where the scaling applied using the same method as done by
UPSC i.e. Linear Transformation was struck down on this ground as taking
candidate capacity to be equal the selection should be proportionate in each
block. Proper randomization is the first and a very essential step for
application of any statistical method like moderation or scaling. Also it may
be noted that as explained at page 148 in the book "Scaling Techniques
What Why and How" randomization does not lead to any increase in the roll
no. An explanation for increase in roll no due to randomization as given by
UPSC vide letter dated 31/5/07) leads to the conclusion of faulty
randomization. This, therefore, precludes the application of any statistical
method as the result will be completely wrong under such circumstances.
iii.
Further,
UPSC in its additional affidavit in WP (C) 1271/2006, has explained the purpose of intersubject moderation
as to bring in a parity between various subjects by removing the variations in
difficulty level in various subjects and the variation in the checking of these
papers. Thus, it becomes evident that the purpose of such methodology is to
provide a level playing field for the candidates opting for different optional
subjects. However, on the contrary, as is evident from the information provided
under RTI Act 2005 by UPSC regarding no. of candidates selected with various
optionals from 2003-2006 there is vide variation between selections from
various optionals. Though the selections from each optional should have been proportionate
considering the equal distribution of candidate capacity between various
subjects. Contrary to this the selections vary from 0 % in one to upto 50 % in
other and even as high as 75 %. Overall there is a very high proportion of
selection from languages as optionals. This is contrary to the observations in
the book “Scaling Techniques What Why and How” that candidates attempting the
examination in their mother tongue are at an inherent advantage and thus need
to be downscaled. Also the analysis of data of Civil Services(Main)
Examination-2007 shows that no parity is
achieved between all optional subjects
after applying statistical moderation by Linear Transformation Method as
the Mean marks ranges from 210(Physics) to 333(Maithili Literature), Minimum
marks ranges from 0 to 376(Arabic literature) , Maximum marks ranges from
258(French literature) to 406 (Zoology).
Thus, the whole process has lost its way in the maze of statistics
applied without proper application of mind. Further, as per the disclosure by
UPSC in its Counter-Affidavit given in
UPPSC v. Subhash Chandra Dixit & Ors. in SLP (C) No. 23723/2002 in Hon'ble Supreme Court, the method of sampling used to apply
moderation is-10 topmost scorers and 10 selected at random in respect of each
examiner. It may be noted that as per the book “Scaling Techniques What Why and
How” at page no. 138 at least 25 scripts have to be sampled at random for a
system to work properly. While in the present case the random samples are too
less. Further, it may be noted that taking 10 topmost samples amounts to
selective sampling which is absolutely prohibited in statistics as it
introduces a bias in the statistical analysis. Also the
method of sampling is faulty as no two methods of sampling can be combined in
statistical techniques. Even on these counts moderation and scaling are faulty.
iv.
The petitioner
submits that he had given several representations to the Respondent
requesting for the revaluation of answer
books and permission to inspect the same and to provide him copies of the same
along with instructions given to the respective examiners. However these were
rejected. The silence of the Official Gazette and the notification in the
present matter demands liberal interpretation and thus balance in favour of the
petitioner. That the Respondent has rejected all the representations of the
petitioner on the ground that as per practice of the Commission re-evaluation
of answer sheets is not allowed. This is completely contrary to the silence of
the official gazette on this fact. Also, as is evident from the news report of
dainik bhaskar dated 25/07/02 , Union Public Service Commission has not been
free from faulty evaluation. The report makes it evident that there has been a
policy of re-evaluation by which Sh. Nitin Verma was shifted from 278th rank to
28th rank.
v.
In response
to RTI application of petitioner requesting the photocopy of answersheets
after decision of Hon’ble Supreme Court
in Civil Appeal No.6454 of 2011 in Central Board of Secondary Education & Anr.
v. Aditya Bandopadhyay & Ors.
allowing candidates to demand photocopy of their answersheets under RTI
act 2005, respondent has denied the same.
vi.
As per
Affidavit given by respondent to petitioner dated 27/06/2011 , it is claimed
that marks given to candidate by original examiner are masked/overwritten multiple times during
moderation process. This itself is prima-facie evidence of manipulation and is against the norms of Standard
Evaluation System. Even in Board Examinations the marks given by Examiner and
Head Examiner are written in separate columns with different coloured ink pen.
G.
BECAUSE the Courts below failed to appreciate that in recent
past, a number of instances have come to light intimating serious
irregularities in the conduct of the examinations. Some of them are explained
below:
(a)
In the 1985 Examinations, when the result was declared, it
was found that none from Bhopal Center was selected for interview. The
candidates from that Center made representations to the UPSC. When the Press took
up the matter, the UPSC conducted inquiries and it was found that the
answer-sheets of General Studies-II of all 95/97 candidates of that Center were
lost and were untraceable. As such, fresh examination was held for these
candidates as a result of which, 25 of them were called for interview. Out of
these 25, 22, were finally declared successful. This has been accepted by the
Respondent before this Hon'ble Tribunal in O.A. No. 816 of 1997.
(b)
In 1985, the C.B.I. registered a case under Sections 420, 464, 471 and 120-B of
the I.P.C. as also under the Prevention of Corruption Act against one, Ratipal
Saroj and four employees of UPSC, Shri Saroj was selected in Civil Service
Examinations, 1985 and was declared as No. 3 in the merit list. A letter was
written by certain candidates of Allahabad Centre to the Prime Minister
declaring their suspicion and requested him to look into the matter. The C.B.I.
inquiries revealed that Shri Saroj joined the UPSC as Section Officer and then
was promoted to the post of Deputy Secretary. He was well known to a number of
officers in UPSC to whom he had been supplying various articles from time to
time. It was alleged that he replaced his answer sheets with the new ones in
the UPSC in collusion with the officers. In this examination he got very good
marks and stood third in the examination. A copy of news item reported by the
Tribune News Service, downloaded from the Internet and other paper cuttings
showing irregularities in the recruitment of the respondent is annexed as
annexure A-4.
(c)
In 1985, the C.B.I. filed another case under Section 420 and 120-B of
the I.P.C. against Sanjay Bhatia and others. The accusation against him was
that he produced false Caste certificate showing himself to be a Scheduled
Caste and he got himself selected for I.P.S.
(d)
In 2001, one Nitin Verma was initially declared to be on
278th rank. However, after re valuation he was declared to be holding 28th
rank. Translated copy with original of Daily "Dainik Bhasker" dated
25.7.2002 showing this fact is filed herewith as annexure A-5.
(e)
Mr. Brijees Sher Arzoo Roll No. 306429 who was reported
absent in the paper of Urdu literature I & II as his optional in Civil
Services (Main) Examination 2005 contrary to his actual score of 176 out of 300
and 190 out of 300 respectively.
(f)
In 2006, the lines of SC and ST candidates for Civil Service
Main Exam. 2005 were deliberately exchanged thereby affecting the entire list.
True copy of news report to this effect published in "Hindustan"
daily dated 8.6.2006.
(g)
Even in 2006, re-examination of Public Administration paper
in Civil (Services Preliminary) Examination, 2006 has been held due to
discrepancy in tallying the number of question papers at one of the examination
centres. True copy of the news report to this effect containing in "The
Hindu" dated 17.5.2006.
(h)
The news report contained in the Indian Express dated
16.7.2006 shows that even before the declaration of result a candidate namely
Sunita Dogra claimed herself to be successful in the UPSC which also show flaw
in the system.
(i)
There are general
allegations against many officers of the UPSC, that they got the question out
in order to get their wards and relatives qualified for the Civil Services
examination. There are other allegations causing suspicion on account of the
fact that the wards of I.A.S. officers are invariable selected in these examinations.
The other allegations are that in Rau's Circle (Rau Study Circle for 1985
Examination, a guess paper was given to the students with 11 questions out of
which 8 questions appeared in the actual question paper. Further, during the
investigations by the C.B.I. into the matter of Saroj and Sanjay Bhatia, two
other candidates, namely, Mrindula Sinha and Suresh Chandra were also found to
be involved. It has also been reported in the Press that with the manipulations
of the UPSC officials, answer-sheets had been substituted in some other cases.
(j)
The irregularity may also be seen in the case of Chittranjan
Kumar wherein, when he requested the Respondent for rechecking the papers of
Hindi paper II, the Respondent responded vide letter dated 16.6.2009 that the
total number of answer-sheets used by him was 2. When he further applied for
details of the number and serial No. of the copies, the Respondent replied vide
letter dated 22.7.2009 and thereby stated the number of answer-sheets of Hindi
paper II was 3. However, in fact that the candidate had written four
answer-sheets in Hindi Paper II. The Respondent further did not mention the map
submitted with the paper of History Paper-I.
(k)
In case of petitioner, Dr.Prashant Chakkarwar, it was claimed in reply
of UPSC dated 8/2/2010 that his
answersheets have been double checked/double scrutinised in response to his
complaint application dated 30/09/2009 and reminder dated 19/1/2010. Thus, UPSC
have double checked/double scrutinised petitioner’s answersheets nearly 80 days after weeding out of answersheets of
Civil services(Main) Examination-2008 (Answersheets of Civil Services Main Examinition -2008 have been destroyed/weeded
out by UPSC on 17/11/2009,as claimed by
UPSC in its reply to Shri.Manish
Sitaramji Kamatkar dated 9/4/2010).
(l)
Gross violation of Hon’ble Supreme Court judgement in Civil Appeal No. 6454 of 2011 in CENTRAL
BOARD OF SECONDARY EDUCATION & Anr. v. Aditya Bandopadhyay & Ors
regarding providing candidates photocopy of their answersheets . Malafide
intention of UPSC can be seen in case of
Ravi Jindal, a candidate of Civil Services Main Examinition-2005, wherein
UPSC in letter dated 14/9/2011 said that the said judgement is being
studied and futher information will be provided in due course of time and then
in letter dated 24/10/2011 UPSC claimed
that as he didn’t approached the CAT , PB, New
Delhi on time ,so his copies are destroyed as per normal retention
schedule. But, here they forgot that they had brought the answersheets of
candidate in Hon’ble High Court of Delhi
on 3/09/2007 ( that means nearly ten months after the expiry of Normal
retiontion Schedule). Malafide intention of UPSC can also be seen in case of
Ashish Gupta and Sonia Chahar ,wherein UPSC replied to Ashish Gupta and Sonia
Chahar that their answersheets have
been destroyed, but to Shi Chittaranjan Kumar ,they replied that his
answersheets are intact. (all of them are candidates of Civil Services Main
Examination-2008 and party in O.A. No:1252/2009 CAT,PB,New Delhi.). This example
itself proves that UPSC thinks itself above all institutions of this Country,
including Hon’ble Supreme Court and reflects the adamant attitude of UPSC.
H.
BECAUSE these
instances show that the UPSC is not infallible and that the recruitment process
of UPSC is not full proof. It is further submitted that where many instances
have come to public knowledge, there may be several others which may not come
into light due to the closed system of recruitment process and this itself
hurts the integrity of the highest agency of recruitment in India.
I.
BECAUSE with respect to the allegations pertaining to method
adopted by UPSC for evaluation of answer sheets of candidates pertaining to the
Main Examination being arbitrary and illegal, following averments were made in
the application. It is respectfully submitted that the said lower marks of the
Petitioner may be due to the
manner of evaluation applied by the Respondent for evaluation of Answer-Books
of Main's Examination which
includes the scheme of Moderation as disclosed by the Respondent in several
cases including the case of Subash Chandra Dixit v. U.P. Public Service
Commission S.L.P. (civil) 23723/2002 before Hon'ble Supreme Court and before
Hon'ble Delhi High Court in case of Neel Ratan v. union of India and Ors. CWP
No. 1271 of 2006.
J.
BECAUSE this Hon’ble Court in the case of Sanjay
Singh v. U.P. Public Service Commission: (2007) 3 SCC 720 petitions under
Article 32 of Constitution of India were filed before
Supreme Court by the unsuccessful candidates who appeared in the examinations
conducted by Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (herein after referred to
as the "UPPSC") in the year 2003 for recruitment to the posts of
Civil Judge (Junior Division). It was held by this Hon’ble Court that the material placed does not disclose that the
Commission or its expert committee have kept key factors in view in determining
the system of scaling. We have already demonstrated the anomalies/absurdities
arising from the scaling system used. The Commission will have to identify a
suitable system of evaluation, if necessary by appointing another committee of
experts.
K.
BECAUSE the Courts
below erred in holding that the UPSC had stated on oath before Supreme Court in
Sanjay Singh's case (supra) that it is not applying the method of scaling of
marks in evaluating answer sheets of the candidates pertaining to Civil
Services (Main) Examination. A perusal of the report relied upon by the petitioner
merely brings out that linear scaling of marks is one of the methods of
statistical moderation and is not the same as linear scaling as alleged by the
petitioner. It may be highlighted that no argument can be advanced that
scaling, ipso facto, results in imperfection. Scaling as a concept has various
hues for example, linear scaling and equi-percentile scaling. Each has its own
indices and formula. In a given situation, the desired result may fail but only
at the extremities of the spectrum (as was discovered by Supreme Court in
Sanjay Singh's case (supra). Thus, without showing to the court the scaling
formula applied and indices used by teachers in UK to achieve common standards
of assessment of marks, the deficiency found in applying scaling in UK cannot be
a ground to question moderation, applying linear scaling by UPSC.
L.
BECAUSE the Courts below erred in holding that UPSC has been
continuously conducting Civil Services Examination every year starting from 1949
to till date. The petitioner had pointed out ten incidents of detection of
irregularities in Civil Services Examination conducted by UPSC over the past
"seven decades". A few stray incidents of irregularities detected in
the Civil Services Examination conducted in the past seven decades do not
vitiate the sanctity of Civil Services Examination. No materials whatsoever has
been placed on record by the petitioner in the present case suggesting that
there were irregularities in the Civil Services Examinations conducted by UPSC
in the year 2007-2009.
M.
BECAUSE the Courts below erred in holding that the affected
candidates are not before the Court and in their absence, their appointments
cannot be set aside. It was further held that the petitioner approached the
Tribunal after a period of more than one year from the date of declaration of
results in respect of Civil Services Examinations in question. Till the time
the petitioner in question approached the Tribunal, the selections and
appointments in pursuance of declaration of results had already been made. The
petitioner in question did not implead as respondents the persons who already
stood appointed and were likely to be adversely affected by the success of the
petitioner before the Tribunal. It does not stand to reason to upset the
appointments made much prior to the date of filing of applications by the
petitioner in question before the Tribunal. The delay in approaching the
Tribunal by the petitioner in question was most fatal to the case set up by
them before the Tribunal.
N.
BECAUSE it is further submitted as per own admission of the
respondent in case of Neel Ratan v. union of India CWP No. 1271 of 2006,
statistical moderation is done by liner transformation of marks. It is
respectfully submitted though the Respondent has not clarified anywhere what is
liner transformation and how it is different from linear scaling, the Applicant
has tried to find out the materials on the concerned issue and have been able
to find out at least two reports which suggest that the said linear
transformation of marks is same as liner scaling, except the name.
O.
BECAUSE it is
further submitted that in the case of Subash Chandra Dixit v. U.P. Public
Service Commission S.L.P. (civil) 23723/2002 the Respondent Commission had
stated that they follow equi-percentile method of scaling and not linear
scaling. However, the Respondent Commission has in the case of Neel Ratan has
stated in their Additional Affidavit dated 10.3.2006 that they do statistical
moderation by Linear transformation in subjective papers of Civil Services
Examination. Meanwhile, as the above reports show, the Linear Transformation is
the Linear Scaling only, and therefore, the Respondent Commission is applying
the same method of Linear Scaling in the present case which it has been found
to be improper by Hon'ble Supreme Court in Sanjay Singh and Anr. v. UPSC:
(2007) 2 Scale 1.
P.
The Hon’ble High Court has failed to appreciate the plea of Cousel for
Petitioner to tag the matter alongwith
batch of similar pending matters {WP(C) 5743/2007, WP(C) 7183/2009, WP(C)7328/2009, WP(C)7381/2009,
WP(C)8179/2009, WP(C)11187/2009 } in Regular list , denying the plea ,after
brief argument by the Cousel the matter was reserved for orders without issuing
notice to the Respondent on 28.9.2010.
6.
GROUNDS
FOR INTERIM RELIEF
That if the operation of the
impugned order is not stayed in favour of the petitioner, irreparable loss and
hardship would be caused to the petitioner.
7. MAIN
PRAYER
It is,
therefore, respectfully prayed that the special leave petition against the impugned
orders dated 05.10.2010 in WP (C) No. 6586/2010 and dated 29.07.2011 in RP Nos.
490/2010 passed by the Hon’ble High Court of Judicature at New Delhi.
8. INTERIM RELIEF
It is,
therefore, respectfully prayed that this Hon’ble Court may be pleased to stay
the operation of the impugned orders, till the
disposal of the present appeal.
DRAWN BY: FILED
BY
RAJ
KAMAL
AMIT SHARMA
(ADVOCATE FOR PETITIONER)
DRAWN
ON: FILED
ON