Cuttack: Orissa high court has asked the state govt and Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) to examine the possibility of holding a special examination for candidates who could not appear in the Odisha Civil Services (OCS) Main Examination, 2025, on Oct31, because of cyclone Arnab-triggered flash floods in southern Odisha.A division bench of Justice S K Panigrahi and Justice M S Raman, in an order on Nov 3, sought separate affidavits from the chief secretary and OPSC secretary by Nov 6, detailing the number of affected candidates, disruption to transport and possible ways of giving them another opportunity.The order came on a petition filed by advocate Rashmi Narayan Patnaik. The matter will be heard again on Nov 6.The bench has asked the state and OPSC counsel to explain the feasibility of conducting a special examination, time required and the mechanism to identify candidates genuinely prevented from giving the exams despite being willing and eligible.They must also address whether a separate examination would affect the evaluation of candidates who have already appeared, require normalisation of marks or delay the recruitment schedule.The HC wants the OPSC to furnish the total number of candidates declared eligible and issued admit cards, along with centre- and date-wise attendance and absence figures. It has specifically sought the number and particulars of candidates from cyclone-affected districts who missed the examination, including those who had opted for Berhampur and Jeypore centres.The bench observed that the issue involved the right of eligible candidates to participate in competitive examinations for public employment on a “fair and equal footing”. It said inability to appear because of an extraordinary natural event “cannot be equated with a candidate’s voluntary or routine inability” arising from lack of preparation or personal reasons.The court also asked the commission to disclose whether it received representations from the candidates attributing their absence to the natural calamity, number of such complaints and the action taken. The bench has further asked whether OPSC considered postponing the examination or any paper at affected centres and, if so, the reasons for its decision.The OPSC has also been asked to provide the current status of the recruitment process and expected dates for evaluation, declaration of results and personality tests.The CS, who has been impleaded as a party to the case, has been asked to identify the affected districts and the period of disruption, besides furnishing details of the impact on road, rail and other public transport during the examination. The state has been ordered to clarify whether any affected district or area was officially declared calamity-hit and submit reports received from district collectors on disruption to public movement.
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