Telangana High Court nods for TSPSC Group-1 exam, objections quashed

HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court on Monday gave its green signal for the conduct of the Group-1 service entrance examination of the Telangana State Public Service Commission (TSPSC), thus clearing all the legal hurdles in its way. The High Court quashed all the petitions that opposed the conduct of the exam in the wake of the recent question paper leakage scandal. The much-awaited qualification examination is scheduled for June 11, 2023.

Clouds of uncertainty hovered over the conduct of the crucial entrance test in the wake of a few petitions filed in the Telangana High Court. The petitions challenged the TSPSC’s move, citing the recent question paper leakage scandal. The petitioners clamoured in their petitions that the TSPSC was going to conduct the Group-1 entrance examination with the same staff that were responsible for the leakage of question papers.

However, concurring with the Telangana Government’s contentions against this, the High Court struck down all the petitions opposing the conduct of the entrance tests under the aegis of the TSPSC. The High Court’s discretion in this regard came in as huge relief for the TSPSC and the aspirants of Group-1. Consequently, the commission is making all requisite preparations to ensure event-free conduct of the test on June 11.

The petitioners, in their prayer to the High Court, besides alleging the involvement of staff members responsible for the question paper leak, also found a ruse in the ongoing SIT investigation into the scandal to demand the cancellation of the examination.

“The very commission, which was rocked by a series of question paper leakage incidents, is now embarking on conducting the Group-1 examination. This has to be stopped and the responsibility be entrusted to either a third-party agency or Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). The crucial examination is being conducted after a long gap of 11 years. Students will suffer colossally if transparency is not maintained,” they said.

The petitioners further stated: “The examinations of recruitment categories, question papers of which were leaked, have not yet been conducted. And yet, the Group-1 test is being hurriedly held. The Group-1 entrance examination should not be conducted before the ongoing investigation into the question paper leakage scandal is not completed,” they contended.

The High Court reminded the counsel of the petitioners that the police had already arrested several accused in the case. It said that the courts would take a call on the style of investigation. Concurring with the contentions of the State Government, the High Court struck down the petitions and paved the way for the Group-1 entrance examination.