LI Network
Published on: October 9, 2023 at 11:43 IST
The Supreme Court dismissed three writ petitions filed by civil service aspirants challenging the Union Public Service Commission’s (UPSC) decision to consider them as general category candidates due to their failure to submit Economically Weaker Section (EWS) certificates in the prescribed format before the 2022 Civil Service Examinations (CSE) cut-off date.
The court, in Jurisdiction of Justices JK Maheshwari and KV Viswanathan, held that the UPSC’s rejection of the candidates’ claim for EWS quota was justifiable as they did not adhere to the specified format and deadline for submitting the necessary certificates.
The judgment emphasized the constitutional validity of the Civil Service Examination Rules 2022 and reaffirmed the requirement for candidates to meet the eligibility criteria set by the Central Government.
The ruling clarified that candidates seeking EWS category benefits must fulfill the criteria outlined in the Central Government’s Office Memorandums dated 19.01.2019 and 31.01.2019.
Additionally, candidates must possess the required income and asset certificates for the year 2020-21, as mandated by the rules.
The court stressed that failure to provide these certificates in the prescribed format by the specified deadline disqualifies candidates from claiming EWS category benefits.
The court supported UPSC’s decision to prescribe the format and cut-off date for document submission, affirming the commission’s discretion in this matter. A detailed judgment is expected soon.
The petitioners had contested UPSC’s decision to reclassify them as general category candidates post-results, arguing that this change was arbitrary and violated constitutional articles 14, 16, and 21.
It was contended that they had submitted the necessary income and asset certificates within the deadline, but their EWS certificates were later amended due to a clerical error. Despite the clarification, they were not selected in the final results.
During the hearings, arguments were presented concerning the mandatory nature of EWS certificates and the applicants’ economic status as the basis for reservation.
The court, while acknowledging the importance of adhering to the specified rules, considered the complexities of the case.
Case Title: Divya v. Union of India | Vimlok Tiwari v. UPSC
