The Calcutta High Court has dismissed a petition by a candidate seeking relaxation in the height requirement for the selection process as a constable in the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF). The court, led by Justice Arindam Mukherjee, ruled that the scope for interference with the Physical Standard Test (PST) results is limited, particularly when it involves predetermined physical criteria.
The petitioner, Harun Miah, had challenged the outcome of his PST, where he was disqualified for not meeting the height requirement. Miah’s height was measured at 169.4 cm, just short of the 170 cm minimum stipulated in the CAPF’s employment notice for the recruitment year 2024.
In his legal challenge, Miah’s counsel argued that according to the May 2015 guidelines for recruitment medical examination in CAPFs and Assam Rifles, a candidate should be afforded a 0.5 cm relaxation from the minimum height requirement. This would technically make Miah eligible. However, the court noted that even with the proposed relaxation, Miah’s height still falls short of the necessary standard.
Justice Mukherjee, in his judgment, emphasized the importance of maintaining strict adherence to the recruitment criteria, noting that any deviation could compromise the integrity and fairness of the selection process. “The scope for interference with the PST result in such a situation is very limited and has to be done with caution,” he stated.
The Union government’s attorneys argued against the plea, highlighting that the 2015 guidelines cited by the petitioner apply strictly to medical examinations and not to the initial physical standard assessments. They also clarified that height relaxations are specifically reserved for Scheduled Tribes and certain other categories, under conditions not applicable to Miah.
Additionally, the government’s legal team cautioned that allowing such a relaxation could set a precedent affecting the overall recruitment framework, potentially undermining the standards set by expert bodies.
