UP PCS Prelims 2017: Allahabad high court directs UPPSC to re-evaluate answer sheets

UPPSC Prelims 2017: The Allahabad high has directed the UPPSC to revaluate the answer sheets of UP PCS (pre) examination 2017 after deleting one of the questions and changing the answers of two others.

education Updated: Mar 30, 2018 18:57 IST
After preliminary examination, UPPSC had uploaded the answer key on its official website in November 2017 and called for objections. The result of preliminary examination was declared on January 19.
After preliminary examination, UPPSC had uploaded the answer key on its official website in November 2017 and called for objections. The result of preliminary examination was declared on January 19. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The Allahabad high court on Friday directed the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) to re-evaluate the answer sheets of those who appeared in UPPCS preliminary examination 2017 after it deleted one of the questions and changed the answers of two others.

The court said the candidates qualifying for the preliminary exam after revaluation would be entitled to appear for the main examination. Any candidate declared eligible earlier but ineligible after revaluation would not be allowed to participate in the selection process, the court added.

The bench comprising justice Pankaj Mithal and justice Saral Srivastava passed the directives while disposing of a bunch of petitions filed by Rahul Singh and others challenging 14 questions of the general studies paper.

The petitioners said in a number of questions, the answers given by them were correct and more appropriate than the ones mentioned in the answer key. Had they been awarded marks in those questions, they would have qualified the preliminary exam, they added.

The bench, while disposing of the petitions, clarified that the relief granted would not only be confined to the petitioners but apply on all candidates who appeared for the preliminary exam and could have succeeded had there been no error on the part of UPPSC in notifying the correct answer key.

The commission advertised for the exam on February 22, 2017, to be conducted for filling up 251 vacancies, which was subsequently increased to 677 posts, of the Upper Subordinate Services in the state. More than 4,55,290 candidates applied for the exam.

It conducted the preliminary exam on September 24, 2017, in which 2,46,654 candidates appeared.

The commission uploaded the answer key on its official website in November 2017 and called for objections. The result of the preliminary exam was declared on January 19.

A total of 14,032 candidates were declared eligible for the main examination, which was scheduled to be held from May 17, 2018.