HC quashes SAT order, OCS main exams as scheduled

The written test for Odisha Civil Services (OCS)-2011 (Main) examinations will begin on Saturday and continue till September 30 as scheduled earlier, the Orissa High Court ruled today.
The High Court quashed the August 28 State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) ruling on it to the relief of around 5823 OCS aspirants who had cleared the prelims.
A division bench comprising Justices Pradeep K Mohanty and Biswajit Mohanty allowed Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) to go ahead with the scheduled main examination without re-evaluating the preliminary examination papers or preparing any fresh merit list as directed by the Tribunal.
It also allowed the eight unsuccessful aspirants who had challenged the preliminary results to appear the main examinations along with the successful aspirants.

"But their answer sheets will not be evaluated without the leave of this court," the bench said.
The eight aspirants will appear before the OPSC Secretary by 4 PM on Thursday and fill the necessary documents to get their admit cards for the written test of the main examination, OPSC counsel Pradeepta Kumar Mohanty.

The eight had approached SAT challenging the prelims results and had alleged that some aspirants were awarded grace marks arbitrarily affecting the prospects of many meritorious aspirants.
SAT had directed the OPSC to evaluate the prelim papers again and prepare a fresh merit list within two months by awarding pro rata grace marks.

The SAT directive had cast a shadow of uncertainty over the scheduled main examination even as OPSC had made all arrangements for it by issuing admit cards to all the 5823 aspirants, who had successfully cleared the preliminary examination.
Around 50,000 candidates had applied for the OCS examination, the advertisement for which was made in October 2011 after a gap of five years. After many hiccups the preliminary examination was held in January this year, in which only a little over 36,000 appeared and the results were announced in May.