The scaling method used in examinations involving different optional subjects ensures equitable assessment and is legally supported, even if not explicitly mentioned in the rules.

JUDGMENT :

BALJINDER SINGH SANDHU, J.

1. The brief facts giving rise to the present special appeals are that the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (hereafter referred to as RPSC/Commission) issued an advertisement dated 04-04-2018 publishing 99 posts of the Assistant Conservator of Forest under the Rajasthan Forest Service Rules 1962 and 70 posts for Forest Range Officer Grade-1 under the Rajasthan Forest Subordinate Service, Rules 2015 (hereinafter referred to as the “Rules of 1962” and the “Rules of 2015”). After issuing the corrigendum, the total seats were increased to 115 for the post of Assistant Conservator of Forest and to 127 for the post of Forest Officer Grade-I.

2. The recruitment process was to be undertaken in two phases, written test and interview. The syllabus for the competitive examination was provided in the advertisement. As per the scheme of the written examination, the same was divided into two parts. The first one was the compulsory subjects of General Knowledge and General English carrying hundred marks each. The second part consisted of the optional subjects. Out of 20 subjects provided in the syllabus, the candidates were to select any two subjects of their choice and the same carried 200 marks each. As per the note, the candidates were not allowed to take more than one subject in the five groups provided in the syllabus. The written examination was objective in nature and the same was conducted from 18-02-2021 to 26-02-2021 in various subjects, and the result of the said examination was declared on 09-12-2021.

3. Before declaration of the result, the respondent-RPSC in its full commission meeting dated 01-10-2021, took a decision to adopt the scaling and constituted a special committee for recommending the procedure of scaling or otherwise to be adopted for declaration of the results. The meeting of the committee was held on 12-11-2021 as well as on 04-12-2021. The Committee considered the scheme of the examination as well as the compulsory and the optional papers, that the candidates were to undertake. The committee after considering the scheme of the syllabus, resolved not to adopt any scaling in the compulsory papers, which was to be undertaken by all the candidates. Regarding the optional papers, the committee resolved, after taking into consideration the difficulty level of each of the question papers, the mean and the standard deviation of raw scores obtained in paper, to implement the method of scaling of raw scores in optional paper, as per the formula used by the RPSC. The tables prepared on the difficulty index of each optional paper, as well as on the mean and standard deviation of the raw scores obtained by the candidates in the optional papers, were considered. Only after technically examining the things, the scaling formula was adopted.

4. The RPSC declared the result after scaling of the marks and 871 candidates who obtained the qualifying marks were called for the interview. It is an admitted position that after the interviews were conducted, the appointments have been granted and all the vacancies have been filled during the pendency of the present petitions.

5. Aggrieved against the action of the respondent-