The Supreme Court has taken a significant step in response to petitions challenging the scoring methodology of the 2024 Rajasthan Civil Judge Cadre examination, particularly concerning the English Essay Writing section. The Court has issued a notice and ordered that answer sheets awarded less than 15 marks in this section be presented for judicial review.
During the hearing, presided over by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, concerns were raised about the apparent discrepancies in the scoring of the English essay paper, where marks ranged dramatically from 0 to 15 out of a possible 50. This issue has notably impacted the overall performance and eligibility of numerous candidates.
The bench responded to the revelations of an attorney representing one of the petitioners, who highlighted the case of a candidate scoring 40 out of 100 in Legal Writing but receiving a zero in the English Essay. This prompted the Supreme Court to take immediate action, ensuring that the matter is addressed promptly. “We will issue notice, returnable on Monday, with the liberty to serve the Registrar General of Rajasthan High Court,” announced Chief Justice Chandrachud.
In addition to issuing the notice, the Supreme Court ordered, “The answer sheets of English essays where candidates received below 15 marks shall be produced before the court on the next day.” This directive underscores the Court’s intent to closely scrutinize the evaluation process for any potential irregularities that may have unfairly disadvantaged the candidates.
This intervention by the Supreme Court comes amid growing concerns over the transparency and fairness of the examination process administered by the Rajasthan High Court, which oversees the recruitment of civil judges in the state. The Rajasthan Civil Judge Cadre Examination is known for its rigorous selection process, consisting of preliminary exams, main written exams, and interviews, with the English Essay Writing paper playing a critical role in the main examination phase.
