JUDGMENT :

NAMIT KUMAR, J.

1. The petitioner has filed the instant writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, seeking issuance of a writ of certiorari for quashing the result dated 10.01.2026 (Annexure P-5) of the Preliminary Examination qua the petitioner. Further, seeking issuance of a writ of mandamus directing respondent No.2 to revise the result of the Preliminary Examination by granting 92 marks in total (86 marks for 43 correct answers and 06 marks for 03 deleted questions) to the petitioner as per the Revised/Final Answer Key dated 06.01.2026 (Annexure P-3) and as per Public Notice dated 09.01.2026 (Annexure P-6) and further, to allow the petitioner to appear in the Main Examination as the cut-off for the BC (Women) category is 88 marks.

2. The brief facts, as have been pleaded in the present petition, are that the Punjab Public Service Commission (hereinafter referred to as ‘Commission’), vide Advertisement No.20251 dated 02.01.2025 (Annexure P-1), invited applications for filling up 322 posts of PCS (Executive Branch) and other allied services. Out of total advertised posts, 14 posts were reserved for the Backward Classes (Women) category. Being fully eligible, the petitioner applied for the abovesaid post by submitting the online application form under the BC (Women) category. Subsequently, she appeared in the Preliminary Examination, held on 07.12.2025. On 08.12.2025, the question papers and answer keys for all sets were uploaded on the official website of the Commission and objections to the Answer Keys were invited from the candidates. Since the petitioner could not find any wrong questions, she did not submit any objections. Thereafter, on 06.01.2026, the Commission uploaded the final/revised answer key (Annexure P-3) on its official website. Upon comparing the final answer key with her OMR sheet and the question paper, the petitioner found that she had correctly answered 43 questions and had secured 86 marks out of a total of 200 marks in Paper-I (General Studies). Subsequently, the Commission issued a Public Notice dated 09.01.2026 (Annexure P-4), stating therein that pursuant to the queries/objections received from the various candidates, the Commission revised the answer key and further, it has been decided to delete 04 questions (question Nos.25, 65, 80 & 95) of Paper-I (General Studies) and further, 02 marks of each deleted question were awarded to all the candidates. On 10.01.2026, the Commission uploaded the complete Result Gazette (Annexure P-5) of the Preliminary Examination, wherein it has been shown that the petitioner scored 86 marks in Paper-I (General Studies) and 122.50 marks in Paper-II (Civil Services Aptitude Test). As per the final/revised answer key, the petitioner counted her correct answers as 43, i.e. 86 marks (including Question No.65, which has been deleted by respondent No.2 and for which 2 marks were awarded to all the candidates). However, the Commission has not granted 06 marks for the remaining 03 deleted questions (Question Nos.25, 80 & 95) in the final result of the petitioner. If the said 06 marks are granted, the total marks of the petitioner would increase to 92, thereby making her eligible to appear in the Main Examination, as the cut off marks for the BC (Women) Category is 88 marks. Upon noticing anomaly in her result, she sent a representation dated 10.01.2026 (Annexure P-7) through e-mail to respondent No.2 explaining the entire controversy with a prayer that she be granted 06 marks for the 03 deleted questions, which would raise her total to 92 marks and render her eligible to appear in the Main Examination. In response thereto, the Commission sent a reply dated 03.02.2026 (Annexure P-8), through e-mail to the petitioner stating therein that the Commission has re-checked her answer sheet and they did not find any error in the evaluation done. Hence, the instant petition.

3. Short reply by way of an affidavit of Sh. Vyom Bharadvaj, PCS, Secretary Examinatio