Farcical face of the MPSC

Hanjabam Bobby Sharma *

Manipur Public Service Commission (MPSC) Building in Imphal in March 2013 :: Pix - Deepak Oinam

One is well aware of the sorry state of affairs which had marred the Manipur Civil Services Examination (MCS) 2010.

Despite adopting similar examination Rules as followed by UPSC, 50% was fixed by the MPSC as qualifying mark in General English paper in the said examination.

The High Court of Manipur has also struck down the fixation of 50% on the grounds of illegality and arbitrariness. Thereafter,MPSC filed an appeal before the Supreme Court which is yet to be disposed of.

Having said all these, let me now bring to notice the remarkable judgement of the Supreme Court rendered in the landmark case of Ashok Kumar Yadav & Ors Vs State of Haryana & Ors (1985) 4 SCC 417.

In this case, the Apex Court had categorically held that "there should be uniformity in the selection process throughout the country and the practice followed by the UPSC should be taken as a guide for the State Public Service Commissions to adopt and follow."

Taking serious note of this precedent,I had filed series of RTI applications to ascertain the exact qualifying marks fixed by the UPSC in the All India Civil Services (Main) Examinations.

UPSC vide its letters dated 10/06/2015 have informed me the qualifying mark of the English paper fixed in the Mains (Written) Examination of 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 respectively which happened to be only 25% all through (in 2014 exam it was also 25 %).

In the context of above cited undisputed facts, it is now clear that MPSC, by fixing 50% in 2010 MCS Examination, had not only flouted the conventional norms and practices of fixing lower qualifying marks but also deliberately ignored the observations of the Apex Court.

Mention may be made that MPSC had also made a startling statement with respect to the fixation of the qualifying marks in the subsequent MCS examination of 2013 which was further reduced to 40% for General, 38% for OBC, 35% for ST/SC and 30% for persons with Physical disabilities.

Justifying the move, MPSC in their affidavit had admitted that the chairman of the MPSC had consulted UPSC and taken into consideration the practices and norms followed by other State Public Services Commissions.

Therefore, MPSC had willfully applied different yardsticks from examination to examination as per their convenience and advantages. It clearly shows the double standards and farcical face of the MPSC.

There is also no denial of the fact that everybody has a right to appeal to a higher court if he or she is aggrieved by the judgement of a lower court but in a prime facie case of such nature, I hardly see any reasonable grounds or merits on which an appeal may be preferred before the Supreme Court.

Was it because of an ill advice given by somebody in highest authority or was it a last ditch effort of the MPSC to delay the compliance of the High Court's Order and to keep their tainted image away from public glare for the time being.

Whatever justification MPSC may offer to this whole sordid saga of 50% fixation, the same will be of no relevance at all because MPSC have not only lost the legal battle in the very first place but also now the perception battle following the revelation of the 25% qualifying mark fixed by the UPSC.

Lastly, I humbly leave everything to the wisdom of those persons who are self styled men of propriety and integrity. For them,"MCS is definitely greater than IAS".