SANJIV KHANNA, J.

The petitioners, twenty three (23) in number, in Writ Petition (Civil) No. 7941/2015 have prayed for quashing of revised results dated 5th August, 2015 for selection and appointment to the post of Assistant Commandants (General Duty/GD) in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) through Limited Departmental Competitive Examination (LDCE), 2013-2014. The said revised result was published by Ministry of Home Affairs vide ID 45013/01/2009/PERS-I dated 15th April, 2015. The petitioners have also prayed for Mandamus to the respondents to treat them as successful in the Physical Standard Test (PST, for short) and accordingly in view of the merit position, direction be issued to the respondents to appoint them as Assistant Commandants (GD) with all consequential benefits.

2. Gouranga Mandal, the writ petitioner in W.P(Civil) No. 7166/2016, has prayed for identical relief to quash the result dated 15th April, 2015 and for direction to the respondents to appoint him to the post of Assistant Commandant (GD) in the Scheduled Caste category in the Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force.

3. As contentions and issues raised are similar, the two writ petitions are being disposed of by this common judgment.

4. Directorate General, Sashastra Seema Bal vide advertisement dated 11th July, 2014 had invited applications from serving male and female Sub-Inspectors (GD) and Inspectors (GD) for the post of Assistant Commandant (GD) in CAPFs through LDCE. Vacancies in different CAPFs were specified. The upper age limit was stipulated as thirty five years as on 1st August, 2013. The applicants were required to appear in the written test consisting of Paper-I, II and III. The candidates qualifying in Paper-I and II were to be called for the Physical Standard Test (PST), and Physical Efficiency Test (PET). These tests were to be conducted by the Board of Officers, to be constituted by the Nodal Agency namely Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), at the training centre of any of the CAPFs. PST and PET were qualifying in nature and failure in any one event would result in disqualification.

5. Clause 7 of the said advertisement related to physical standards and had stipulated :-

“7. Physical Standards :

As applicable to Assistant Commandant (Direct Entry). Candidates should satisfy the following minimum physical standards as prescribed in respective RRs. They should also be in medical SHAPE-I (One).”

There was also another stipulation with regard to medical standards prescribed in clause 8 of the advertisement, the relevant portion of which reads:-

“8. Medical Standards (i)

Eye Sight

	Better Eye (Corrected Vision)		Worse Eye (Corrected Vision)
Distant Vision	6/6	OR	6/12
	6/9		06/09
Near Vision	J 1 (Corrected)		J II (Corrected)
Types of correction permitted	Spectacles
Limits of Refractive errors permitted	-4.00D (including cylinder) Non Pathological Myopia + 4.00D (including cylinder) Hypermetropia
Colour Vision	High Grade

(ii) The candidates must not have knock knee, flat foot, squint eyes and should possess high colour vision. The candidates will be tested for colour vision by Ishihara’s test and well as Edrich-Green Lantern test. They must be in good mental and bodily health and free from any physical defect, which may interfere with the efficient performance of the duties.

(iii) Subject to (i) & (ii) above, the standard of medical fitness for the candidates would be the same as prescribed by the Govt. for Assistant Commandant (Direct Entry).”

Clause 10 relating to medical examination had stipulated:-

“10. Medical Examination

The candidates who qualify the written examination, PST/PET and Interview of the LDCE shall be drawn in