RANCHI, India, March 19 -- Jharkhand High Court issued the following order on March 17:

1. Heard, learned counsel for the parties.

2. By filing this writ petition, a prayer has been made by the petitioners to direct the respondents to allot appropriate marks against the question, according to them were answered correctly. In fact, the following is further prayer made by the petitioners:-

"(ii) For further issuance of appropriate writ(s)/ order(s)/ direction(s) in the nature of mandamus commanding upon the respondent- Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission to recommend the name of petitioners for appointment on the post of Post Graduate Trained Teacher, who have scored more marks than the last selected candidate in the concerned subject after re-allotment of marks.

(iii) For issuance of appropriate writ(s)/ order(s)/ direction(s) in the nature of mandamus commanding upon the respondent- Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission to bring on record stored digital answer-sheets and evaluation of the same related with the petitioners, which is stored in the form of non writable DVD by the examination conducting outsource agency and after completion of examination submitted to the Respondent Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission,

(iv) Further for a direction upon the respondents to keep seats vacant for the petitioners during the pendency of the writ petition."

3. The Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) issued an advertisement being Advertisement no. 02 of 2023 to recruit Post Graduate Trained Teachers (Regular Vacancy). The examination was conducted in Computer Based Test (CBT) mode through empaneled agencies between 18 August 2023 and 10 September 2023.The petitioners applied and appeared in the examination. After the exam, JSSC published the provisional answer key on 20 September 2023 and invited objections from candidates. Later, JSSC stated that experts had reviewed the objections and released a final answer key. However, it was found that due to some technical or software error, the options chosen by candidates were shown incorrect/ got jumbled. Because of this issue, JSSC revised some answers after expert review. According to the petitioners, due to jumbling of options, the petitioners correct answers were treated as wrong, affecting their merit and selection.

4. It is the grievance of the petitioners that they have selected the correct options, but the respondents have wrongly evaluated the answer sheet.

5. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the errors occurred due to technical faults of JSSC or its empaneled agency, for which the petitioners cannot be made responsible. He also submits that action of the respondent- Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission in not considering the objection raised by the petitioners with respect to change occurred due to jumbled option of their responses in the final answer key and not taking the correct measures for redressing the grievance, is arbitrary.

6. The learned counsel for respondents submits that recruitment was conducted in a fair, transparent, and uniform manner through Computer Based Test (CBT) mode by duly empaneled and technically competent examination agencies. He further submits that adequate safeguards were in place to ensure accuracy, confidentiality, and integrity of the examination process. He also submits that candidates were given sufficient opportunity to raise objections within the stipulated time and all objections received were carefully examined by subject experts.

*Rest of the document can be viewed at: (https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/ecourtindiaHC/cases/display_pdf.php?filename=A9S7c5LDIsB6RXaCf816x1tDbi3%2BlzTjnMMFPbBXjpFepjtFUNWGjk4gE81mRl47&caseno=WPC/1066/2026&cCode=1&cino=JHHC010409732025&state_code=7&appFlag=)

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