Court directs re-evaluation of Teacher Grade III selection, ensuring appointments based on revised merit list while protecting current appointees.
In a landmark judgment, the Rajasthan High Court, Jaipur Bench, presided over by Justice Anand Sharma, has ruled in favor of candidates who were unjustly deprived of appointments due to errors in the evaluation process for the recruitment of Teacher Grade III, Level II positions. This decision, dated May 11, 2026, arises from a series of writ petitions filed by Yasmeen Bee and others against the State of Rajasthan and its recruitment agencies.
The court scrutinized the recruitment process initiated by the Rajasthan Staff Selection Board, which had invited applications for 27,000 teaching posts. The controversy began when objections were raised against the provisional answer key released in May 2023, which allegedly contained incorrect answers. Despite these objections, the final result was declared in September 2023, excluding several meritorious candidates from appointments.
Justice Sharma's judgment highlights the constitutional obligation of recruiting agencies to ensure the accuracy and fairness of recruitment processes. The court directed the respondents to re-evaluate the claims of the petitioners based on a revised answer key and to offer appointments to those who secured higher marks than the appointed candidates, subject to vacancy availability. Notably, the court granted notional benefits of pay fixation and seniority to the petitioners without past monetary arrears.
Simultaneously, the judgment safeguards the positions of candidates already appointed, emphasizing that they should not face termination solely due to the revised answer key. The court's directive seeks to balance the rights of both sets of candidates, underscoring the importance of equitable treatment.
Furthermore, the judgment mandates the Chief Secretary of Rajasthan to establish a High-Level Committee to formulate a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) ensuring transparency and accuracy in future recruitment examinations. This initiative aims to prevent the recurrence of such issues and maintain public confidence in the recruitment process.
The decision is confined to the petitioners and candidates with pending writs, excluding those who did not timely assert their rights. This judgment serves as a significant precedent in addressing recruitment discrepancies and reaffirms the judiciary's role in upholding fairness and justice in public employment.
Bottom line:-
Meritorious candidates deprived of appointments due to faulty evaluation processes in recruitment are entitled to relief, subject to guidelines provided by the Division Bench and the Supreme Court.
Statutory provision(s): Articles 14, 16 of the Constitution of India, 1950
Yasmeen Bee v. State of Rajasthan, (Rajasthan)(Jaipur Bench) : Law Finder Doc id # 2908277
