[Breaking] Supreme Court Strikes Down Haryana's 5-Marks Reservation In Employment Exams

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The Supreme Court of India ruled against the Haryana government’s policy of granting a 5-marks reservation in employment exams, declaring it unconstitutional. This decision impacts 23,000 appointments across Group C and D positions, set aside earlier results and requiring affected candidates to reappear for exams.

[Breaking] Supreme Court Strikes Down Haryana's 5-Marks Reservation in Employment Exams — [Breaking] Supreme Court Strikes Down Haryana’s 5-Marks Reservation in Employment Exams

NEW DELHI: Today (24th June): The Supreme Court of India deemed unconstitutional the Haryana government’s decision to grant a 5-point grace in government recruitment exams to candidates from economically and socially disadvantaged backgrounds. This verdict puts 23,000 appointments across Group C and D positions at risk.

Initially introduced in the Common Eligibility Test (CET), the policy aimed to support families with an annual income of less than 1.80 lakh, purportedly to level the playing field for economically backward candidates.

However, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had previously struck down this reservation, leading to appeals to the Supreme Court by the Haryana Staff Selection Commission (HSSC).

The bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice S.B.N. Bhatti heard several petitions, including those from the Haryana government seeking additional time to present more cases.

The High Court criticized the state’s approach in its detailed order, questioning the lack of sufficient data or a commission to justify such reservations. It argued that the policy resembled reservation practices and could significantly impact recruitment outcomes, unfairly favoring only those with a Public Private Partnership (PPP) certificate, thereby contravening constitutional provisions.

According to the High Court, the reservation was arbitrary and lacked substantive justification, providing benefits to a specific group in violation of Articles 15 and 16 of the Indian Constitution, which mandate equal opportunity and prohibit discrimination in public employment nationwide.

The Supreme Court’s decision necessitates that the 23,000 candidates who secured positions based on the earlier results must now retake the exams. Failure to pass could lead to their dismissal from service. This ruling underscores the judiciary’s vigilance regarding employment reservations and emphasizes adherence to constitutional norms without undue preference.