Rajasthan HC Cancels 2021 SI Exam After Paper Leak Involving RPSC Officials
Rajasthan HC cancels 2021 SI exam over paper leak involving RPSC insiders.
The Rajasthan High Court, in a landmark verdict, annulled the 2021 Sub-Inspector Recruitment Examination due to a paper leak scandal and the complicity of Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) members, delivering a scathing rebuke to the institution tasked with upholding the process’s integrity.
Justice Sameer Jain, invoking the Hindi idiom “ghar ka bhedi lanka dhaye” (an insider causes the greatest harm), condemned the “travesty of monumental proportions” where six RPSC members betrayed public trust. The decision, addressing the contentious 859-post recruitment for sub-inspectors and platoon commanders, follows allegations of widespread fraud, with over 50 trainee sub-inspectors arrested in a Special Operations Group (SOG) probe.
The court’s ruling, hailed as “courageous” by advocates like Harendra Neel, who represented petitioners, underscored the recruitment’s “polluted” nature, warning that allowing it to stand could jeopardize Rajasthan’s law and order. Senior advocate Major R P Singh emphasized the verdict’s potential to deter organized gangs exploiting youth aspirations, while the court took suo motu cognizance, ordering a public interest litigation (PIL) against RPSC’s conduct.
Despite a 2021 state cabinet sub-committee’s recommendation against cancellation, evidence from the SOG and FIRs implicating RPSC members like Babulal Katara and Ramu Raika prompted the court’s decisive action, spotlighting systemic irregularities.
The verdict has sparked political reactions, with BJP minister Kirodi Lal Meena calling it a “victory of truth,” estimating over 500 candidates passed fraudulently, while Congress leader Tikaram Jully praised the decision but accused the BJP of double standards for defending the exam in court.
As the BJP-led government seeks legal counsel to chart next steps, the cancellation reinforces Rajasthan’s stringent anti-paper-leak laws, first enacted under Congress, and signals a critical push for transparency in public recruitment, with far-reaching implications for governance and public trust.
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