Supreme Court Upholds Fair Recruitment Practices in Landmark Ruling

The Supreme Court has ruled that the 'rules of the game' in government job appointments must remain unaltered mid-process unless permitted by existing rules. The decision emphasizes transparency and non-arbitrariness, stating that changes must align with Article 14 of the Constitution, ensuring equality and fairness.

The Supreme Court has handed down a significant ruling concerning government job appointments, emphasizing that the 'rules of the game' cannot be altered midway unless existing procedures allow it.

A five-judge Constitution bench led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud clarified that a recruitment process begins with the advertisement for applications and concludes with the vacancies being filled. During this process, eligibility criteria specified at the outset cannot be changed unless explicitly allowed by prevailing rules or advertisements, ensuring compliance with Article 14 for fairness and non-arbitrariness.

The ruling also underscored the necessity for transparent and non-discriminatory procedures in recruitment, providing that while placement on a select list doesn't guarantee appointment, vacancies must not be arbitrarily denied to eligible candidates. If benchmarks are set for different stages, they must be stated upfront unless authority is granted to set them as required, preventing surprises for candidates and evaluators.

(With inputs from agencies.)