CUTTACK: The Odisha Engineering Service (Methods of Recruitment and Conditions of Service) Amendment Rules, 2023 for selection of candidates for the post of assistant executive engineers by Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) has come under judicial scrutiny with a petition challenging it in the Orissa High Court.
The amended rules replaced an objective written test conducted by OPSC with a Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) score for the selection of candidates for Odisha Engineering Service. The division bench of Acting Chief Justice BR Sarangi and Justice MS Raman on Friday issued notices to the state government and OPSC seeking reply to the petition that had sought quashing of the amended rule on the ground that it was ‘irrational and unreasonable’.
The petitioners - Meerashree Suman (26) of Balangir and Ritesh Kumar Mohapatra (29) of Bhubaneswar also sought an interim stay order on the amended rule. Advocate Susanta Kumar Dash argued on behalf of the petitioners. But, the bench directed for issue of notices fixing short returnable dates to the state chief secretary, secretary of OPSC and secretary of AICTE for filing of counter affidavits.
The amended rule provides for the selection of candidates by OPSC based on valid GATE scores and interviews.
As per the new rule, OPSC is to prepare the merit list giving 90 per cent weightage to an aggregate of marks secured in the GATE examination and the balance of 10 per cent to interviews. In the process, the role of the OPSC is sought to be diminished or regulated by rules. The petition contends the OES (Methods of Recruitment and Conditions of Service) (Amendment) Rules, 2023 brings a classification of eligible candidates, even before the date of advertisement for recruitment as the candidates having no GATE score as of the date of advertisement are excluded.