High Court quashes ongoing KAS (mains) exam

Jammu: The Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Tuesday directed the Public Service Commission (PSC) to cancel the ongoing KAS mains examination and hold this test afresh and the Public Service Commission has said that it will issue a fresh notification for the said examination in next two days.
A division bench of Justice Janak Raj Kotwal and Justice Sanjeev Kumar Shukla directed the Public Service Commission (PSC) to conduct the examination afresh after disposing off an appeal filed by the PSC against its single bench order allowing 429 candidates to appear in the mains examination. The 429 candidates were debarred by the PSC from appearing in the mains examination after it reevaluated the preliminary results following the representations that answer key was wrong.
“We direct the cancellation of the main examination at whatever stage it is as on date and direct the appellant (PSC) to hold the main examination afresh,” said the Bench.
The court directed the PSC to permit the candidates (429), who have been shortlisted to participate in the preliminary examination on the basis of their merit determined upon reevaluation of the preliminary exam. It also directed the PSC to permit 429 candidates who were shortlisted in the first result of the preliminary examination but couldn’t participate in the main exam on the basis of their merit determined by the process of reevaluation.
It also directed the PSC to allow 2365 candidates who have obtained higher merit in the process of reevaluation equal to or more than the marks secured by the last candidate amongst 429 candidates. “Since the examination in question has been delayed due to litigation, we hope and trust that the appellant (PSC) make immediate steps to hold the main examination and complete the whole process culminating into declaration of result without any further wastage of time,” the bench said.
Meanwhile reports said Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission is likely to issue fresh notification within two days to notify dates for holding KAS 2016 Mains exams afresh.
Officials while confirming the reports about issuance of a new notification said PSC will comply with the High Court orders and issue fresh schedule for holding Mains exams. “Fresh dates will be notified within two days,” a PSC member said, wishing not to be named.
He said the commission has to now allow over 1400 candidates who were not earlier declared qualified for Mains exams.
“PSC commission will convene a meeting in this regard and will chalk out plan for holding Mains exams afresh,” he said, adding that they will invite applications from earlier ousted candidates. “After submission of forms by applicants, it will take us some time for scrutiny and other formalities. And we also have to give some preparation time to those candidates as well,” he said.