By Gurmohinder Singh-
CHANDIGARH: The Haryana Public Service Commission today agreed in principle to constitute a subject-wise committee of experts to consider representations received by it regarding the questions posed to the candidates during the preliminary examination for HCS (Executive Branch) and allied services.
The Commission also told the Punjab and Haryana High Court that 40 questions were found to be wrong, during the course of arguments. Over 287 representations have so far been received by the Commission. Approximately 136 representations were received after the publishing of the answer keys, while 151 were received earlier.
In August this year, a Single Bench of the High Court had declared that the HPSC had created much confusion by not making public the answer key. The observations were made while deciding a bunch of 21 petitions filed by Jitender Kumar and others against HPSC.
The Single Bench had also directed the HPSC to constitute a committee of experts to consider 151 representations received by the Commission regarding the questions. “The Commission shall consider the same and take steps in accordance with the law,” the Single Bench has ruled.
While asking the HPSC to publish the answer key of the preliminary examination, the Single Judge had also asked it to call for representations from the candidates within a reasonable time before referring these to the experts’ committee.
It shall consider the representations before submitting its opinion to the Commission, “which shall thereafter take a decision thereon and take appropriate steps in accordance with law”.
The HPSC had on Monday suggested that it would reduce the cut off marks in the merit list of preliminary examination of Haryana Civil Service (Executive). If accepted, candidates securing 132.06 marks in the general category in the preliminary examinations would also be allowed to appear for the main examination. Earlier the cut off marks were 134.
The revised cut off in SC category would be116.33 against 120 earlier, and would be 130.08 in the BC category against 133 earlier. In the ESM category, the suggested cut off is 109.48 compare to 113 earlier, while in physically handicapped category, it has been suggested to revise the cut off as 121.44, instead of 125 marks earlier. The case will now come up on Thursday for further hearing.
