The Allahabad High Court has determined that candidates from reserved categories who achieve scores exceeding the general category cut-off in recruitment examinations, and who do so without any concessions in standards, must be classified as unreserved candidates during the screening phase. This decision was announced on Tuesday by the Lucknow bench, comprising Justices Rajan Roy and Manjive Shukla, and stemmed from a special appeal filed by Bhavna Yadav and others.

This ruling pertains to the recruitment process for the Swasthya Shiksha Adhikari position, managed by the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC). The court’s interpretation highlights the importance of merit, particularly for candidates whose qualifications are based solely on their performance, without leveraging any reserved-category privileges.

Background of the Dispute

The controversy originated from a UPPSC recruitment advertisement dated December 22, 2025. The document stated that candidates from reserved categories could only be adjusted against unreserved slots during the final selection phase, provided they had not utilised concessions in screening standards. This led to the petitioners disputing both the advertisement’s stipulations and a related office memorandum that enforced this practice.

The court observed that the results of the screening examination significantly influence the final selection process, where 75 per cent of the total marks are allocated based on screening results and the remaining 25 per cent on interview performance. The ruling aims to rectify what was seen as an inequitable restriction on meritorious candidates from reserved categories.

In its conclusions, the court emphasised that the current arrangement unfairly limited the progression of qualified individuals and undermined the principles of open competition in recruitment.

Implications of the Reservation Law

This legal finding is anticipated to set a precedent for similar cases in the future, ensuring that meritorious candidates are recognised appropriately in the recruitment process. The implication is that those who excel in open competition, while adhering strictly to qualifying criteria, should not be unfairly classified based on their category status.

Next Steps for UPPSC and the State Government

The court mandated that the UPPSC review the office memorandum on the classification of candidates within a three-month timeframe. Additionally, the Uttar Pradesh government has been instructed to establish and clarify its policy on this matter within the same period. The decision aims to provide clearer guidelines for the categorisation of candidates based on merit while distinguishing between those utilising reservation concessions and those competing on an equitable basis.

This ruling represents a significant step towards ensuring equity and transparency in the recruitment process, reaffirming the importance of merit in public service appointments. The response from both the UPPSC and the state government will be closely monitored as they work to adapt to the court’s directives.

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