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New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday expressed satisfaction over UPSC’s decision to publish provisional answer keys after the conduct of the Civil Services Preliminary Examination, saying something “very positive” has happened.
Terming it a “good development”, a bench of Justices PS Narasimha and AS Chandurkar disposed of the pleas of some civil services aspirants who had sought direction to UPSC to disclose the answer keys, cut-off marks and marks of the candidates who appeared in the civil services preliminary examination.
“We have read some reports,” Justice Narasimha said at the beginning of the hearing.
Senior advocate Jaideep Gupta, who was appointed as amicus curiae to assist the court in the case, cited a recent affidavit filed by the Union Public Service Commission in the case.
“Something very positive has happened,” the bench said.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the petitioners, said the petitions were filed due to “wrong questions” and the petitioners have lost so many years.
The main petition in the case was filed through advocate Rajeev Kumar Dubey.
The bench said that the apex court had in the past heard several petitions alleging wrong questions in competitive examinations.
Sibal also urged that the petitioners be given another chance.
Disposing of the petitions, the bench said, “We are happy to know that UPSC has taken a decision in this regard.”
This left the petitioners open to approach the High Court for appropriate relief.
UPSC conducts examinations including Civil Services Examination.
In an affidavit filed in the top court last month, UPSC had said that the final answer key will be published after the final result is declared.
UPSC had said that during the pendency of the case it had considered various factors, including the suggestions of the amicus curiae.
“As a result of extensive deliberations and considering the sacred role assigned to UPSC as a constitutional body, the Commission has arrived at a conscious and well-considered decision: to publish the provisional answer keys, after the preliminary examination is conducted,” it had said.
UPSC had said that representations or objections will be sought from the candidates appearing in the examination.
The affidavit said that every such representation or objection should be supported by three official sources and the objections which are not supported should be rejected at the outset.
“However, the Commission will decide whether the sources presented are authoritative or not,” she had said.
The affidavit further said that the objections or representations received from the candidates on the provisional answer key and question paper and answer key will be placed before a group or team of experts in the concerned subject, who will consider all the aspects in depth and finalize the answer key.
It said that such final answer key prepared by the team of subject experts will form the basis of declaration of results of the preliminary examination.
It was said in the affidavit that the Commission wants to start following these modalities as soon as possible.
It had said, “The decision taken by the UPSC is considered to be an effective and adequate redressal of the grievances raised in the petition and to enhance the level of transparency in the functioning of the UPSC and further the public interest.”
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without any modifications to the text.
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