IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB & HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Date of decision: February 05, 2026 SUMAN KUMARI ...Petitioner Versus HARYANA PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION ...Respondent CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE TRIBHUVAN DAHIYA Present: Mr. Devender Arya, Advocate for the petitioner.

Mr. Gurnoor Singh Sandhu, Advocate for the respondent-HPSC.

TRIBHUVAN DAHIYA, J. (ORAL)

The petition has been filed seeking a writ of certiorari quashing the office order dated 29.01.2026, Annexure P-18, whereby the petitioner’s candidature as Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category candidate for the post of Assistant Professor (Geography) in response to advertisement 51/2024, dated 02.08.2024, has been rejected on the ground of his failure to upload a valid EWS certificate in terms of stipulations in the advertisement. Further, a writ of mandamus has been sought directing the respondents to consider his candidature for the post.

2. Learned counsel for the petitioner contended that the petitioner applied for the post in question as EWS category candidate, and uploaded a certificate dated 29.04.2024, Annexure P-5, to establish his credentials as the one belonging to the category; the certificate was valid for the year