The Punjab and Haryana High Court recently dismissed the plea of a candidate, Bhuvan Goel, who narrowly failed to qualify for the Haryana Civil Service (Judicial Branch) Examination 2023-24 by 0.6% [Bhuvan Goel vs Punjab and Haryana High Court and Another].
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sudhir Singh upheld the importance of viva-voce in judicial service recruitment, emphasizing that written examinations alone cannot determine a candidate’s aptitude for judicial duties.
Candidate Misses Cut-Off by a Slim Margin
Goel had scored 543.25 out of 1,100 marks (49.38%) in the written examination and viva-voce combined, falling short of the 50% aggregate required to qualify. Specifically, he obtained 513.50 marks in the written examination but managed only 29.75 marks out of 200 in the viva-voce, which lowered his overall score below the eligibility threshold.
The candidate argued that his low viva-voce marks unfairly disqualified him, given his strong performance in the written examination.
Court’s Observations on Recruitment Process
The Court reiterated that judicial service recruitment is distinct from other government posts due to the unique nature of the responsibilities involved.
“Emphasis upon viva-voce to a little more extent than other recruitments is necessary to ensure that persons of very high level of integrity, aptitude, character, and merit adorn the judicial offices. Whether a candidate has an aptitude, inclination, and character to become a judge cannot alone be determined by written test,” the Bench observed.
The judges stressed that candidates are made aware of the rules and minimum qualifying marks before entering the recruitment process. “The petitioner entered the process of recruitment with open eyes and was well aware of the passing marks being 50% aggregate of the written as well as viva-voce. Therefore, it cannot be said that the petitioner was taken by surprise or the rules of the game were changed after the game had begun. Thus, the principle of estoppel shall operate against an unsuccessful candidate,” the Court stated.
Effort Alone Not Enough
Acknowledging the efforts made by all candidates, the Bench remarked that doing one’s best cannot guarantee success if the performance does not meet the required standards. “It was only because the petitioner secured 29.75 marks out of 200 marks in the viva-voce that relegated him below the 50% aggregate marks. Therefore, this Court is afraid that the petitioner cannot be helped,” the judgment read.
The Court concluded by dismissing Goel’s plea.
Case: Bhuvan Goel vs Punjab and Haryana High Court – Available on LAWFYI.IO
