HC halts Agriculture Development Officer selection over ‘irrelevant’ exam questions

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has halted the ongoing selection process for Agriculture Development Officers after finding that questions asked in the screening examination had prima facie no connection with the field for which recruitment was being made.

Justice Sandeep Moudgil, while issuing interim directions on a petition filed by candidates challenging the screening result declared on November 14, held that the process could not go forward in its present form.

The petitioners had sought quashing of the screening result and a direction for either re-conduct of the test with relevant syllabus or re-evaluation with proportionate compensatory marking for nine deleted questions, keeping in view the impact of negative marking. They also pressed for relaxation of shortlisting norms or additional inclusion of reserved-category candidates so that at least four times the number of advertised posts were represented.

During the hearing, HPSC counsel Kanwal Goyal accepted the notice and was directed to file a reply before the next date.

Justice Moudgil, after examining the documents placed on record, noted that the annexed question set included material not relatable to the objective of recruitment. While staying further proceedings in the selection, Justice Moudgil observed: “In view of the foregoing, the further process of selection shall remain stayed. This interim order is warranted considering the nature of the questions indicated in an annexure which, on the face of it, bear no relevance to the purpose of the examination for which the candidates had appeared namely, the screening test for recruitment to the post of Agriculture Development Officer.”

Justice Moudgil fixed December 23 as the next date for hearing.