JUDGMENT :

NAMIT KUMAR , J.

1. By this common order, afore-mentioned two writ petitions are being disposed of as common questions of law and facts are involved therein. For the sake of brevity, facts are being taken from CWP-1755 of 2026.

2. Instant writ petition has been filed under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution of India, for issuance of a writ in the nature of mandamus directing respondent No.2 to consider the petitioner in the Physically Handicapped category (Blind and Low Vision) in the Punjab State Civil Services Combined Competitive Examination, 2025 (Annexure P-1) in the result of its Preliminary Examination (Annexure P-6) and to allow the petitioner to appear in the Mains Examination as he has obtained more marks than the last qualified candidate in his category.

3. The brief facts of the case, as have been pleaded in the petition, are that on 02.01.2025 (Annexure P-1), respondent No.2 issued advertisement No.20251 for conducting Punjab State Civil Services Combined Competitive Examination, 2025 for filling up of 322 posts of different categories. The said examination was to be conducted in two parts i.e. Preliminary Examination and Mains Examination followed by interview. The application forms for the said examination were to be submitted online. The petitioner being fully eligible applied for the said examination. As the petitioner suffered from 100% visual impairment (blind) and was not able to fill the application form on his own, therefore, he got filled the same from a computer operator of a cyber cafe. The petitioner informed the computer operator about his disability and provided him all necessary documents, including the disability certificate dated 01.01.2021 (Annexure P-2). The computer operator assured the petitioner that application form of the petitioner had been filled as per his instructions. The application form of the petitioner was accepted. Respondent No.2 issued admit card to the petitioner for the preliminary examination to be conducted on 07.12.2025. As per the request of the petitioner, one Manjinder Singh was provided as scribe to him for the purpose of preliminary examination. In the result of preliminary examination, declared by respondent No.2 on 09.01.2026 (Annexure P-6), petitioner secured 60 marks in the paper of General Studies and 102.50 marks in the paper of CSAT. However, petitioner came to know that he was considered in the General Category by respondent No.2. In the category-wise cut-off of the preliminary examination in the category of Physically Handicapped (Blind and Low Vision), the candidates who secured 40 marks were declared successful and eligible for Mains Examination. Although, petitioner has secured 60 marks in the preliminary examination, however, he was not declared as eligible for the mains examination by considering him in the General Category. Through the instant writ petition, petitioner has sought to change his category from General (71) to Persons with Disabilities (Blind and Low Vision) (76-A).

4. Learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that the petitioner being 100% blind was dependent upon the cyber cafe/computer operator to fill up the application form for the Punjab State Civil Services Combined Competitive Examination-2025. Due to blindness of the petitioner, despite instructions, the computer operator committed mistake and mentioned the category of the petitioner as ‘General’ instead of ‘Persons with Disabilities (Blind and Low Vision)’. He further contended that the mistake was neither intentional nor wilful but due to the circumstances beyond the control of the petitioner. He further submitted that for the mistake of other person, petitioner should not be penalised and he be permitted to appear in the Mains Examination in the category of Persons with Disabilities (Blind and Low Vision).

5. Per contra, learned State counsel submitted that the applications have been invited strictly as per the terms of the advertisement dated 02.01.2025 (Annexure