Court Orders GPSC to Verify Authenticity of Exam Questions Sourced from Unavailable Book
In a significant directive, the Gujarat High Court has ordered the Gujarat Public Service Commission (GPSC) to file an affidavit clarifying the authenticity and permissibility of framing examination questions from a book whose physical copy is unavailable, and the source of its PDF copy remains unknown. This directive came during the hearing of a Special Civil Application filed by Arati Damjibhai Rangpariya against the State of Gujarat and another respondent.
The case revolves around a question in the GPSC examination, taken from a book attributed to Kautilya's "Arthashastra." The controversy arose when the original book could not be produced, and only a PDF version was available, with no known source for the download. Mr. Nirzar S. Desai, J., presiding over the case, expressed concern over the authenticity of the reference material used for setting examination questions.
During the proceedings, Mr. Chaitanya Joshi, representing the respondents, informed the court that the physical copy of the book was not available and could not specify the source of the PDF version. Consequently, the court has directed the Secretary of GPSC to submit an affidavit detailing whether it is permissible to frame examination questions from such unavailable reference materials. The affidavit must also explain the method for determining the authenticity of the book when only a PDF copy is accessible.
The court has instructed the respondents to state whether the book is widely available and, if a physical copy exists, to specify the edition from which the examination question was selected. The affidavit is to be served to the petitioner's advocate by March 19, 2026, with the matter scheduled for further hearing on March 20, 2026.
This directive underscores the judiciary's vigilance in ensuring the integrity and fairness of competitive examinations, emphasizing the need for reliable and verifiable reference materials.
Bottom Line:
GPSC directed to file an affidavit regarding the authenticity and permissibility of framing examination questions from a book whose physical copy is unavailable and the source of its PDF copy is unknown.
Statutory provision(s): Examination process.
Arati Damjibhai Rangpariya v. State Of Gujarat, (Gujarat) : Law Finder Doc id # 2867083
