Former Minister and BRS leader T Harish Rao hit out at the ruling Congress government, blaming it for “playing with the lives of students.”
Published Sep 09, 2025 | 3:43 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 09, 2025 | 3:43 PM
The Telangana High Court. Credit: tshc.gov.in/
Synopsis: TGPSC, defending its process, argued that each script was assessed by three examiners under a coding system and the average of the top two scores was considered. It said mock evaluations with dummy answer books and scrutiny checks ensured fairness. Original answer sheets were submitted in sealed covers to the court. Cancelling results at this stage, they argued, would unfairly disrupt careers.
In a major blow to the Telangana Public Service Commission (TGPSC), the Telangana High Court on Tuesday, 9 September directed the commission to manually re-evaluate answer scripts of the Group-I Mains examination and declare revised results within eight weeks.
The court cautioned that failure to comply would result in the scrapping of the entire process and the conduct of fresh examinations.
The order came in response to multiple petitions alleging irregularities in evaluation. Aspirants pointed to lack of transparency, use of non-Telugu evaluators for Telugu-medium papers, and absence of clear moderation guidelines.
The High Court annulled the Group-I exam ranking list published on March 10 and directed re-evaluation in line with Supreme Court guidelines in the Sanjay vs UPSC case.
The TGPSC had notified 563 Group-I vacancies, but recruitment was halted in April 2025 following legal challenges.
Justice Namvarapu Rajeshwar Rao heard submissions from petitioners, the TGPSC, and selected candidates.
TGPSC, defending its process, argued that each script was assessed by three examiners under a coding system and the average of the top two scores was considered. It said mock evaluations with dummy answer books and scrutiny checks ensured fairness. Original answer sheets were submitted in sealed covers to the court.
Counsel for selected candidates pointed out that nearly 200 individuals across all categories, SC, ST, OBC, EWS, women, and PwDs, were already in the selection process. Cancelling results at this stage, they argued, would unfairly disrupt careers.
Petitioners, however, maintained that the integrity of the exam was compromised. They sought judicial intervention to restore fairness, demanding manual re-evaluation or fresh exams.
The ruling has also triggered political reactions. Former Minister and BRS leader T Harish Rao hit out at the ruling Congress government, blaming it for “playing with the lives of students.”
“Irregularities in the Group-I exam evaluation… In the backdrop of doubts over exam centre allocations, hall ticket issuance, suspicious results, and allegations of malpractice, today’s verdict is a slap in the face for the state government,” Harish Rao said.
He directly targeted Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, accusing him of negligence. “By conducting exams in a flawed manner, you have caused suffering to students and the unemployed. The Congress government, which makes empty promises, lacks even the basic competence to conduct exams properly. Even now, open your eyes. Bow your head in shame and apologize to the youth of Telangana (sic),” Rao said.
గ్రూప్ 1 పరీక్ష మూల్యాంకనంలో అవకతవకలు..
పరీక్ష కేంద్రాల కేటాయింపు, హల్ టికెట్ల జారీ, పరీక్ష ఫలితాల్లో అనుమానాలు, అక్రమాల ఆరోపణల నేపథ్యంలో నేడు హైకోర్టు ఇచ్చిన తీర్పు రాష్ట్ర ప్రభుత్వానికి చెంపపెట్టు.లోప భూయిష్టంగా పరీక్షలు నిర్వహించి విద్యార్థుల జీవితాలతో చెలగాటమాడుతున్న…
— Harish Rao Thanneeru (@BRSHarish) September 9, 2025
The court has given the TGPSC eight weeks to complete re-evaluation and declare results. During earlier hearings, the court had restrained the Commission from issuing appointment letters but allowed certificate verification to proceed.
(Inputs from Sumit Jha. Edited by Amit Vasudev)
