Punjab and Haryana HC rejects plea of Candidate who missed judicial services cutoff by 6.75 marks [Read Petition]

Punjab: The Punjab and Haryana High Court has dismissed a petition challenging the selection process for Civil Judge (Entry Level) positions, emphasizing the distinct nature of judicial service recruitment and the importance of comprehensive evaluation methods.

Judicial Aspirant’s Plea Dismissed: Punjab & Haryana HC Upholds Recruitment Norms

Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sudhir Singh delivered their judgment on January 9, 2025, addressing the case of an unsuccessful candidate in the Haryana Civil Service (Judicial Branch) Examination.

The case involved a petition filed by Bhuvan Goel, who secured 513.50 marks in the written examination but obtained only 29.75 marks out of 200 in the viva-voce, falling short of the required 50% aggregate marks.

High Court Justifies Higher Weightage for Viva-Voce in Judicial Exams

The court noted that the petitioner had entered the recruitment process with full awareness of the requirements, stating, “The petitioner entered the process of recruitment with open eyes and was well aware of the passing marks being 50 per cent aggregate of the written as well as viva-voce.”

Addressing the unique nature of judicial service recruitment, the court observed, “Recruitment to judicial service is not akin to recruitment to any civil post under the State or UOI. The unique nature of duties and powers attached to a judicial office compels the recruiting agency to adopt a mode of selection which is understandably distinct.”

The court emphasized that a higher percentage of marks for viva-voce in judicial recruitment is justifiable, explaining, “Whether a candidate has an aptitude, inclination, and character to become a judge, cannot alone be determined by written test.”

The bench relied on several Supreme Court precedents, including Lila Dhar vs State of Rajasthan (1981) and Abhimeet Sinha and others vs High Court of Judicature at Patna (2024), which supported the validity of giving more weightage to viva-voce tests in judicial service recruitment.

The court concluded that exceeding the 15% limit for viva-voce marks is valid when evaluating candidates for judicial positions, as it requires a more nuanced approach to assess their suitability.

Mr. Nayandeep Rana appeared for the petitioner, Mr. Sanjeev Sharma and Ms. Shubreet Kaur Saron represented the High Court, and Mr. Balvinder Sangwan appeared for the Haryana Public Service Commission.

Case Title: Bhuvan Goel vs Punjab and Haryana High Court and another
 

[Read Petition]