High court junks plea against Aug 23 exam

PETITION STATED THAT SOME CANDIDATES WERE SUFFERING FROM CHRONIC DISEASES, WHILE THREE OF THEM WERE COVID POSITIVE; THEY WOULD NOT BE IN A POSITION TO APPEAR IN THE EXAMINATION

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court on Friday dismissed pleas against August 23 exam being conducted in Haryana for the recruitment of physical training instructors (PTIS) in state schools.

The pleas were dismissed after the state government listed out arrangements made by the authorities to accommodate 9,500 applicants.

The petition had stated that some of the petitioners were suffering from chronic diseases while three of them were Covid-19 positive and in view of the lockdown imposed by the state, they would not be in a position to appear in the examination.

However, the secretary, Haryana Staff Selection Commission, told the court that the apex court had directed to complete the entire process of examination within a period of five months from the date commission starts working on it.

Ninety-five centres have been set up in five districts whereas in normal conditions, the test would have been held at one station only.

Each centre has been allotted only 100 candidates where apart from maintaining social distancing while entering the examination centre, it has also been ensured that one examination centre will not have more than 100 candidates whereas the minimum seating capacity ranges from 240 to 600, the court was informed.

The court was also told that two schools have been kept in reserve in each district so as to meet any sudden exigency on account of any centre falling in containment zone.

“The candidates, who have symptoms of fever, cough and cold, would be made to sit in a separate room,” the court was told adding that all guidelines issued by the Centre are being complied with and transportation arrangements for the candidates have also been made.

“The public interest for conducting the examination on the scheduled date far outweighs the convenience of the petitioners. The unfortunate circumstances of some of the petitioners cannot be a ground to postpone the examination wherein about 9,500 candidates have to appear,” the bench of Justice Anupinder Singh Grewal said, while dismissing the pleas.

The recruits are to replace about 1,900 teachers whose appointment was set aside by the apex court on April 8 and the state was asked to complete process within five months.

A single judge bench had in September 2012 set aside the selection of these teachers made by the commission in 2010. They were recruited in pursuance to a 2006 advertisement.