The Punjab and Haryana High Court has quashed a Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) decision to introduce minimum qualifying marks for interviews for recruitment to Assistant Professor posts in state’s Government Medical Colleges, observing that the recruiting agency could not alter the selection criteria just six days before the interviews.
“Being a State-run recruiting agency, the HPSC cannot afford such doubts regarding its credibility as Caesar’s wife must remain above all suspicion,” Justice Harpreet Singh Brar observed while allowing the petitions and directing the HPSC to re-evaluate and finalise the selection process according to the criteria originally notified by the Director General Medical Education and Research (DGMER), Haryana.
The HPSC was entrusted with conducting the interviews. It issued announcements on December 7 and 8, 2022, publishing the list of shortlisted candidates and informing them that interviews would be held on December 19 and 20.
The HC held that the HPSC “has erred in prescribing the minimum qualifying marks for interview, especially after announcing the list of short-listed candidates”.
The HC further noted that the selection scheme had been framed by the DGMER, which was not only the employer but also a specialised body entrusted with regulating medical education. The HPSC, the HC said, had merely been engaged to conduct interviews, and there was no material showing that it had been authorised to modify the existing selection criteria.
The Bench of Justice Brar also rejected the argument that prescribing minimum interview marks was merely fixing a cut-off. “While the weightage of a stage pertains to how much a component counts towards the aggregate, the qualifying threshold answers a different question i.e. whether a candidate can be eliminated from consideration, regardless of aggregate merit,” read the order.
The HC further observed that in “setting minimum qualifying marks for the interview, the HPSC has attempted to nullify the effect of the marks obtained in terms of the carefully curated pre-merit criteria.”
On the timing of the decision, the Bench observed that while no direct evidence of mala fide had been brought before it, the surrounding circumstances raised concern.
The HC also examined the issue from the standpoint of Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution. It said the 75 marks under the pre-merit/academic criteria were not distributed in an unstructured manner but were based on a detailed, multi-dimensional formula devised by DGMER experts. It held that the absence of a written examination did not, by itself, diminish the quality of the recruitment process.
The HC ultimately quashed the HPSC’s December 13, 2022 announcement and set aside the December 23 result to the extent candidates were excluded for failing to secure the newly prescribed 50 per cent or 45 per cent marks.
It further directed that candidates found successful on such aggregate evaluation, and otherwise eligible, be issued consequential appointment letters. Salary would be payable from the date of joining, while notional benefits would be calculated from the date such benefits were disbursed to their batch-mates.
Jagpreet Singh Sandhu is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in Chandigarh. He is a veteran reporter with over a decade of experience, specializing in legal, crime, and environmental reporting across the tri-city area (Chandigarh, Mohali, and Panchkula). Professional Background Core Beat: He primarily covers the Punjab and Haryana High Court, District Courts, CBI Courts, and Consumer Commissions. His legal reporting is known for breaking down complex judgments and tracking long-standing criminal cases. Environmental Reporting: Jagpreet has become a key voice in reporting on the deteriorating air quality and weather patterns in the Punjab-Haryana region. Crime & Technology: He frequently reports on cybercrime, digital arrest scams, and the intersection of technology and law enforcement, such as the development of citizen-centric policing apps. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His late 2025 coverage has focused on significant judicial verdicts, major financial scams, and public health concerns: 1. Legal & CBI Court Verdicts "12 years on, CBI court acquits Haryana judge, parents in wife’s death case" (Dec 17, 2025): Detailed coverage of the acquittal of a judicial officer in a high-profile dowry death case from 2013. "‘Wicked & evil mind’: Court gives man 30-year term for kidnapping, sexually assaulting 8-year-old" (Dec 16, 2025): A report on a stern judgment from a Chandigarh district court in a POCSO case. "Man acquitted in rape case after victim found ‘very happy’ in wedding reception" (Dec 9, 2025): Covering a unique legal observation regarding consensual relationships and age verification. 2. Investigative & Scams "CBI registers FIR in Rs 1.14-cr Patient Welfare Grant scam at PGIMER" (Dec 19, 2025): An exposé on how funds meant for poor patients were siphoned off through forged documents and a photocopy shop inside the PGIMER campus. "Month-long torture, Rs 85 lakh transfers: How ‘Innocence Certificate’ led to a ‘digital arrest’ of an elderly couple" (Dec 12, 2025): Detailing a sophisticated cyber fraud targeting senior citizens in Chandigarh. 3. Environment & Public Safety "Panchkula air turns ‘very poor’, fourth worst in country" (Dec 22, 2025): Reporting on the sudden spike in pollution levels in Panchkula compared to neighbouring cities. "Soon, you can snap that overspeeding car, and report to Chandigarh Police" (Dec 16, 2025): Breaking news on a new mobile application being developed to allow citizens to report traffic violations via geo-tagged photos. 4. Gangster Culture & Crime "City Beautiful in the crosshairs of gangsters" (Dec 14, 2025): A feature analysis of how Chandigarh has increasingly become a staging ground for extortion and rivalries between gangster modules. "Shooters wanted for Parry murder held by Delhi Police Special Cell" (Dec 18, 2025): Following the developments in a high-profile murder case in Chandigarh’s Sector 26. Signature Style Jagpreet is recognized for his tenacious follow-up on cold cases and his ability to report on courtroom drama with a focus on victim rights. His work often highlights administrative lapses, whether in the handling of patient welfare funds or the enforcement of environmental standards. ... Read More
