Petition in Delhi High Court Alleges Irregularities in NTA-Administered Patent Officers Exam. A plea has been filed in the Delhi High Court, alleging irregularities in the Patent Officers exam conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA). The petitioners claim discrepancies in the marking scheme of both the preliminary and main phases of the exam.
New Delhi: A petition submitted to the Delhi High Court requesting the cancellation of nationwide exams intended to select 553 ‘Group A’ patent officers, citing irregularities in the recruitment process managed by the National Testing Agency (NTA).
Justice Ravinder Dudeja, presiding over the single-judge bench, deferred the hearing to July 3.
The petition has been lodged by 23 candidates who participated in the exam.
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The petitioners allege that discrepancies existed in the marking scheme for the exam, which conducted in two stages, prelims and mains.
It is claimed that although the NTA acknowledged the errors, they were not rectified.
The plea emphasizes that the NTA admitted to errors in the marking scheme for questions displayed on computer screens during Phase II of the mains exam.
The preliminary exam took place on December 21, 2023, while the mains conducted on January 25, 2024, and February 5, 2024.
Interviews conducted from April 1 to April 27.
The petition stated,
“Candidates/petitioners have encountered several irregularities in the Preliminary Examination conducted by NTA/Respondent No.2, which will be detailed later. However, the irregularities/glitches in the Main Examination are more severe, affecting the fairness of the exam and the candidates’ decision-making regarding the number of questions to attempt, ultimately impacting the merit of the case.”
The petitioners requested the quashing of the exam and the conduction of new exams and interviews.
They urged,
“Direct the Respondents to cancel the examinations held on 21.12.2023 (Preliminary), 25.01.2024 and 05.02.2024 (Mains Examination), and the interviews conducted from 01.04.2024 to 27.04.2024 for the post of ‘Examiner of Patents & Designs’ Group-A (Gazetted) under the Recruitment Notification 2023.”
Advocate Dinesh Chandra Tripathi represented the petitioners.
The plea further requests the Delhi High Court to intervene and conduct a thorough investigation into the alleged irregularities. It seeks the court’s direction for a re-evaluation of the exam papers and a potential re-conduct of the examination to ensure fairness and transparency. The petitioners also demand accountability from the NTA and appropriate measures to prevent such issues in future examinations.
The Delhi High Court took cognizance of the matter and is expected to hear the case soon. This development garnered significant attention from aspiring patent officers and the broader legal community, highlighting the critical importance of maintaining the integrity and fairness of competitive examinations.