NEWS : 'UPSC result follows quota policy' 

The Centre has told the Supreme Court that its selection process for coveted central services like IAS and IPS are in the furtherance of the reservation policy. At the time of service allocation, the vacancies are strictly filled from the candidates of the category for which they are earmarked.

This is the reason, why the recommendation for allocation to such services by the Union Public Service Commission is devised to be made in two phases, said the government.

On Centre’s plea, the apex court on Monday had stayed Madras High Court order which had held amended Rule 16(2) of Civil Services Examination Rules as unconstitutional. In its March 20 order, the high court had said, “When a post is reserved, the question of allotting a service in the reserved category to a person who has been included in the unreserved merit list does not arise.

It amounts to reducing the number of posts reserved for SC/ST/OBC and adding the same number of posts to the unreserved category, Thus making the mockery of entire rule of reservation”.

In its Special Leave Petition, the Centre, however, said that the UPSC recommends the candidates against the vacancies in two phases.

In the first phase, the commission recommends general candidates in number equal to the total number of general vacancies reduced by the number of reserved category (SC, ST, OBC) candidates selected on general standards, OBC candidates in number equal to the total number of OBC vacancies reduced by the number of OBC candidates selected on general standards, SC candidates in number equal to the total number of SC vacancies selected on general standards and ST candidates in number equal to the total number of ST vacancies reduced by the number of ST candidates elected on general standards.

In the first phase, UPSC also recommends all the reserved candidates who qualified on general standards i.e. those figuring above the last general candidate in the merit list but not having availed any relaxation/ concession in terms of age limit, number of attempts or qualifying standards at preliminary examination.

If a candidate has taken any of the concession/relaxation in the eligibility or selection criterion at any stage of examination,then he is not treated by the UPSC as having qualified at general standards, notwithstanding his rank in the final result.

While recommending the candidates in the first phase, UPSC also maintains a consolidated reserved list that consists of as many candidates selected on general standards from that category. Further, it also includes as many general candidates as there are total reserved category candidates selected on merit. Thus the total number of the candidates in the consolidated reserve list is equal to the total number of reserve category candidates selected on merit.

This arrangement will deal with two extreme possible scenarios. First, where all the reserved category candidates get adjusted against the general vacancies requiring additional reserved category candidates to fill up unfilled reserved vacancies. Second, where all the reserved category candidates get adjusted against the reserved vacancies requiring additional candidates to fill up remaining general vacancies.

Thus the recommendation in the second phase from the consolidated reserve list ensures that the number of recommended candidates of various categories ultimately match with the number of vacancies in particular categories, said centre.

“Rule 16(2) of the CSE Rules has been amended to ensure and subserve and further advance the very principle of reservation as under the said rule the reserved category candidates get a service of higher choice in order of preference,” said the government.

Courtesy : economictimes.indiatimes.com