VIJAYAWADA: Evaluation of the Group-I Mains exam would be done manually within three months as per the directions of the High Court, Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) Secretary PSR Anjaneyulu said. The High Court issued the instructions based on petitions filed by some candidates who could not qualify the written examinations. They blamed the commission’s decision to go for digital evaluation of the answer scripts for not qualifying for the oral test, Anjaneyulu said at a press conference on Monday.
Anjaneyulu said the High Court set aside the results of Group-1 (mains) exam held in December 2020, and directed the commission to get the written answer scripts evaluated manually within three months.
“The judge who delivered the judgement on October, 1, passed the above order on the ground that candidates were not given prior intimation of the commission’s decision to adopt digital evaluation.”
Anjaneyulu said the commission acted fairly and transparently in the evaluation of the answer scripts, and had only adopted their digital evaluation due to the existing pandemic situation. “The decision was also widely publicised well before the examinations, and it was only in the best interests of the candidates and with a resolve to complete the recruitment as early as possible that the digital evaluation was resorted to during the pandemic,’’ he said.
Though an independent Constitutional body, the commission is subject to certain rules and regulations and can only notify vacancies as and when cleared by the government, he explained. “The Commission is confident that no mistake has been committed due to the digital evaluation. However, keeping in mind the candidates’ interests and respecting the verdict of the HC, the commission has decided to comply with the orders, namely to get the Group-1 (Main) answer scripts valued manually within three-four months.”
Meanwhile, the HC also noted that the decision for digital evaluation was not wrong, but not mentioning it in the advance notice was a mistake.
JOB NOTIFICATIONS LIKELY IN A WEEK
As many as 190 assistant engineer posts will be notified within a week. Notification will be issued for 670 junior assistants posts soon. Referring to the notifications for filling the vacancies as per the job calendar, APPSC secretary admitted that there is a delay in issuing notifications to fill the vacancies. An exercise is being carried out to increase the number of posts in Group-I and II, he added.