New Delhi — The Supreme Court has directed the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) to arrange a fresh medical test for a Scheduled Tribe candidate who was denied a state civil services post because of confusion over the recruitment schedule.
The ruling came in response to a plea by Shreya Kumari Tirkey, whose candidature had been rejected by the JPSC and later upheld by the Jharkhand High Court. The apex court bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta overturned that decision.
According to the court, Tirkey had cleared all the preliminary, main, and interview rounds but missed her medical test due to unclear instructions. While JPSC’s notice stated that the medical exam would follow the interviews the next day, Tirkey assumed it would be on May 17, 2022, after the conclusion of interviews and document verification on May 16.
The judges observed that the notice wording could easily cause confusion, and penalizing the candidate with cancellation was unfair. They noted that medical exams assess only physical suitability, not academic or merit-based qualifications.
The bench said procedural ambiguities should not impose harsh consequences, particularly for candidates from marginalized communities. The court directed JPSC to conduct a new medical examination and, if Tirkey passes, to appoint her by creating an additional post. She will gain continuity of service benefits but not back wages.
With inputs from IANS