SC refuses to stay ongoing Grade-I posts exam in Telangana

On 21 October, Monday, the Supreme Court refused to stay the ongoing examination conducted by the Telangana Public Service Commission (TGPSC) to fill up 563 Grade-I posts in various government departments, saying such an order will lead to “chaos.”

“The examination is to commence at 2 pm… There will be chaos if we stay the exam at this stage,” said a bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, when senior lawyer Kapil Sibal, appearing for a petitioner, pressed for an interim stay.

“The exam is to happen today. Students have already entered the exam centres," the bench noted.

Sibal submitted the aspirants would lose out on the chance to appear in the exam being conducted for the first time in the state.

Group-I mains examination conducted by the TGPSC commenced on Monday and will continue till October 27 for the 563 vacancies.

A total of 31,383 candidates have qualified for the mains exam. These exams were being held for the first time since the formation of Telangana and 2011, when it was last held.

The quota policy, being followed by the TGPSC as per a government order (GO), has been challenged in the apex court by one Pogula Rambabu.

The top court noted the Telangana High Court was seized of the matter and asked it to decide the matter before the declaration of the results.

Candidates have been protesting against the GO seeking rescheduling of the examinations on the ground that SCs (scheduled castes), STs (scheduled tribes) and backward classes suffer under its reservation provisions.