CGPSC 2003 Recruitment Case: 147 Officers Under Scanner, EOW Chargesheet Likely

The controversy surrounding the 2003 Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission (CGPSC) recruitment examinationhas resurfaced after more than two decades, with the selection of 147 officers once again under scrutiny.

The recruitment, conducted during the Jogi government, included appointments to important positions such as Deputy Collector and Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP). Allegations of irregularities in evaluation and the allocation of marks had emerged during the recruitment process.

The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) is now preparing to take the investigation to the next stage and is expected to file a chargesheet in court. More than 15 administrative officers are reportedly under the scanner in connection with the case.

Questions Over Evaluation

The allegations primarily concern the evaluation of answer sheets and the marks awarded to candidates.

According to documents cited in the case, one candidate allegedly wrote only a single page in an answer and still received 55 marks out of 60. In contrast, some candidates who completed their answer sheets reportedly received only 10 to 15 marks.

The wide variation in marks raised questions about the fairness of the evaluation process and whether certain candidates received an undue advantage.

RTI Brought Details To Light

The controversy gained momentum after candidates, including Ravindra Singh and Varsha Dongre, obtained examination and evaluation-related information through the Right to Information (RTI) process.

Petitions were subsequently filed before the High Court in 2005. Following notices from the court, the PSC was reportedly accused of acknowledging irregularities in the selection process.

The matter continued through the legal system for several years.

High Court Ordered Re-Scaling

In 2016, the Bilaspur High Court ruled in favour of the petitioners and ordered the re-scaling of marks across the optional subjects in the 2003 PSC mains examination.

The court also ordered the re-evaluation of answer sheets in Anthropology and directed authorities to prepare a revised merit list based on the corrected results.

The order potentially affected the appointments of 147 candidates who had already been selected through the examination.

147 Officers Approached Supreme Court

Several officers, including then-Deputy Collector Padmini Bhoi and Sanjay Chandan Tripathi, challenged the High Court's decision before the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court has stayed the implementation of the High Court's re-scaling order for the time being. The matter remains pending before the apex court.

The latest EOW investigation and the possibility of a chargesheet have therefore brought renewed attention to the recruitment conducted 23 years ago.

What Is Scaling?

Scaling is a method used to bring marks obtained in different examination papers onto a comparable scale.

When candidates take different optional subjects with varying levels of difficulty, scaling is intended to account for differences in difficulty and help create a common basis for preparing the merit list.

In the CGPSC case, allegations have been raised that manipulation of the scaling process benefited certain candidates and consequently affected their position in the merit list.

Case Still Has Legal Implications

The 2003 recruitment controversy has remained entangled in legal proceedings for years. The High Court's order had the potential to alter the selection outcome, while the Supreme Court's interim protection has kept the matter pending.

With the EOW now moving towards the next stage of its investigation, questions surrounding the evaluation of answer sheets, scaling of marks and the eventual selection of the 147 officers are again in focus.

The outcome of the ongoing legal proceedings and the EOW investigation could determine whether further action is taken in connection with the alleged irregularities.