NEW DELHI, Jan 19: The Supreme Court has assigned an amicus curiae to assist in a case presented by civil service aspirants, who are requesting the UPSC to reveal the answer keys, cut-off marks, and scores of candidates who participated in the civil service (preliminary) examination.
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In previous examinations, including the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination of 2023, the UPSC has stated that it will disclose the marks, cut-off scores, and answer keys “only” after the completion of the entire examination process.
A bench consisting of Justices P S Narasimha and Manoj Misra designated senior advocate Jaideep Gupta as amicus curiae to aid in the case, instructing the petitioners to provide him with a copy of their petition.
“We have requested Jaideep Gupta, senior advocate currently present in the court, to assist the court as amicus curiae in this matter, and Mr. Gupta has graciously accepted this request,” the court remarked in its January 15 ruling.
During the proceedings, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing 17 UPSC aspirants, argued that the UPSC’s failure to disclose pertinent details demonstrates a lack of transparency.
He asserted that if the answer keys, cut-off scores, and candidates’ marks were revealed, they could pursue “effective” remedies against inaccurate evaluations based on rational and demonstrable grounds.
The top court also requested the Centre and the UPSC to submit an additional affidavit detailing the challenges the institutions might face if the requests outlined in the writ petition are granted along with the required data.
The case has been scheduled for further hearing on February 4.
In February of the previous year, the court agreed to review the petition filed by advocate Rajeev Kumar Dubey.
The petition advocated for the public disclosure of answer sheets and other particulars to protect the interests of millions of candidates/aspirants against any substantial errors.
It contended that despite numerous past litigations, the Union Public Service Commission has failed to provide justifications for its aversion to transparency practices.
The petition noted that a “prompt and timely disclosure” of answer keys, cut-off marks, and individual scores is a common practice among nearly all state public service commissions, as well as high courts and various prestigious institutions like IIT, IIM, among others.
The aspirants highlighted that their petition raises “serious concerns” regarding transparency, accountability, and the UPSC’s conduct in withholding crucial information.
“There seems to be neither reason nor logic in the UPSC’s policy of releasing the marks, cut-off scores, and answer keys of the CS(P) examination only after the entire civil services examination process is concluded, except for the apparent motive of obstructing the valid claims of unsuccessful candidates seeking effective remedies,” it stated.
The plea further asserted that disclosing these details would enable aspirants to ascertain whether shortlisted candidates had indeed achieved higher scores and were thus more deserving of selection.
“None of this is feasible unless the respondent—the UPSC—reveals the accurate answer keys, which are fundamental to evaluation, the minimum cut-off marks that determine candidate selection, and the individual marks to ascertain if candidates meet these cut-offs.
“This would also empower candidates to be well-informed and potentially better prepared for future examination attempts,” it continued.
The petition further emphasized that millions of aspirants participate in these examinations each year, aspiring to join the prestigious public services, investing years of their formative period in preparation.
“Furthermore, these all-India services impact not just the candidates but the broader public as well. Hence, the selection processes for these positions demand the utmost transparency and fairness,” it concluded. (Agencies)
