Rajasthan HC Stays Order Quashing Sub-Inspector Recruitment Exam

The Rajasthan High Court on Monday stayed a single judge’s order that had quashed the 2021 sub-inspector recruitment exam following allegations of a paper leak and misconduct involving members of the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC).

A division bench comprising Justices Sanjeev Prakash Sharma and Sanjeet Purohit heard an appeal filed by Vikram Panwar, one of the successful candidates, and temporarily halted the implementation of the earlier verdict.

Appeal Filed By Successful Candidate

During the hearing, the appellant’s counsel argued that only a few identified candidates had fraudulently obtained exam papers and secured selection through corrupt practices. He contended that cancelling the entire recruitment would unfairly penalize hundreds of candidates who legitimately cleared the exam.

The appellant requested that interim protection be granted until the matter is fully resolved, so that honest candidates are not adversely affected by the court’s earlier order.

Background

The single judge had quashed the recruitment process on August 28, citing serious irregularities. The exam, conducted by RPSC in 2021, was for 859 posts of sub-inspector and platoon commander.

Soon after the allegations of paper leaks emerged, the state government handed the investigation to the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Rajasthan Police. Over 50 trainee sub-inspectors were arrested, along with several others linked to the malpractice.

The government informed the court that it was aware of the wrongdoing but believed that cancelling the entire recruitment would unnecessarily affect deserving candidates. A state cabinet sub-committee, in its report submitted to the court, recommended that the exam should not be scrapped.

The division bench’s stay order means that, for now, the recruitment process remains intact, pending further hearings.

The case highlights the challenge of addressing corruption without harming the prospects of candidates who followed proper procedures.

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