Orissa HC orders expert panel to re-evaluate disputed answers in OPSC exam
CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court has ordered for formation of a panel of experts to re-evaluate the veracity of answers to four questions in the revised answer key published by the Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) regarding the questions set in the competitive examination to fill up 116 vacancies in the Group B Ayurvedic Medical Officer posts.
The court issued the direction on a petition challenging the adoption of a second answer key containing certain incorrect answers marked as correct for the selection process. Itishree Sahoo, a candidate, had filed the petition.
Justice SK Panigrahi said, “Based on a preliminary review of the facts and submissions, this court is of the view that the petitioner has presented a prima facie case warranting judicial intervention, as the answer key appears demonstrably erroneous when the relevant authoritative texts and expert opinions are considered.”
While this court is not positioned to directly assess the veracity of the answers, it deems it necessary to direct the OPSC to re-evaluate the answers to the contested questions. This re-evaluation should be conducted by a panel of qualified subject matter experts, who can offer an objective and specialised review of the disputed questions,” Justice Panigrahi added in the order officially released on Monday.
The petitioner had contested four questions, asserting that incorrect answers were stated as correct in the second answer key issued by the OPSC. For this purpose, the petition relied on authoritative texts and expert opinions to substantiate her claim.
“The findings of the expert panel shall be carefully considered. Based on the panel’s conclusions, the petitioner’s case shall be reconsidered, and her position in the merit list be adjusted if the expert panel finds the petitioner’s arguments and supporting materials to be valid,” Justice Panigrahi also specified in the order, while setting a three-week deadline for completion of the entire exercise.
