Strict adherence to recruitment application requirements is essential to maintain integrity and fairness; candidates cannot be excused from disqualification due to inadvertent errors.

JUDGMENT

Navin Chawla, J. (Oral)--The petition has been heard by way of video conferencing.

1. The present petition has been filed seeking setting aside of the disqualification of the candidature of the petitioner for recruitment in the Indian Coast Guard (in short, 'ICG') on account of supply of incorrect details at the time of filling out the application form. The petitioner further seeks a direction to the respondents to consider the petitioner as 'qualified' and consider his candidature in the further stages of the recruitment process of the ICG.

2. It is the case of the petitioner that pursuant to the advertisement issued by the ICG, the petitioner applied for the post of Navik (GD) in the ICG through online mode. The petitioner, after clearing Stage-I of the recruitment process, was shortlisted for Stage-II of the same. Stage-II of the recruitment process comprised of a Physical Fitness Test and Document Verification.

3. On 16.11.2021, the petitioner reported to the assessment centre at Gandhinagar, Gujarat and took part in the Physical Fitness Test, where he was declared to be successful. At the Document Verification Stage, however, the petitioner was ousted from the recruitment process on account of having uploaded a scanned copy of his Class X mark-sheet instead of the scanned copy of his Aadhar Card at the time of filling of his application form. The petitioner attempted to atone his mistake by presenting a hard copy of the Aadhar Card to the authorities but the authorities did not agree to accept the hard copy and disqualified the petitioner from the recruitment process. Vide the impugned result dated 11.01.2022, the petitioner was declared 'fail' solely on the basis of the discrepancy found at the Document Verification stage.

4. The learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner had committed a bona fide mistake in inadvertently uploading his Class X mark-sheet instead of the scanned copy of his Aadhar Card. He further submits that the petitioner, in an attempt to rectify his mistake, did present the hard copy of his Aadhar Card and the respondents refused to accept the same. He submits that the petitioner cannot be penalized for a bonafide inadvertent mistake which otherwise has no impact on his eligibility or merit.

5. We have considered the submissions made by the learned counsel for the petitioner.

6. Paragraph 5 of the advertisement, which called for applications for the ICG as Navik (GD), Navik (Domestic Branch) and Yantrik, states that a mismatch between the documents produced at the verification stage and the documents uploaded as part of the online application would result in cancellation of the candidature. The relevant portion is reproduced herewith:

"5. Selection Procedure. The selection of recruits is based on an all India order of merit on their performance in Stage-I, II, III & IV (explained in detail below) and the number of vacancies available for the post. Clearing of Stage-I, II, III, IV and satisfactory performance in training is compulsory for recruitment in ICG. All candidates will be compulsorily subjected to biometric, photo identification and document verification during stage-I, II, III & IV of the selection procedure. The details of various stages are as follows: -

xxxxx

(B) Stage-II. Based on the performance in the Computer Based Online Examination, a merit list will be prepared and e-admit card for stage-II will be issued as per the vacancies available and ratio decided by ICG. If the candidate is shortlisted for stage-II then he will be required to upload additional documents as mentioned at Para 6 (c) (iv) & P