Bhubaneswar: The Orissa High Court has asked the Odisha government and the Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) to explore the feasibility of holding a special examination for candidates who were genuinely prevented from appearing in the Odisha Civil Services (OCS) Main Examination, 2025, due to the cyclone and subsequent floods in parts of southern Odisha, despite being willing and eligible to take the test.
A Division Bench of Justice S.K. Panigrahi and Justice Murahari Raman, hearing a petition filed by Rashmi Narayan Patnaik, sought detailed reports from the State and the OPSC to ascertain the extent of disruption and the number of candidates affected by the natural calamity.
The Bench observed that candidates prevented from appearing in a competitive examination by an extraordinary natural calamity cannot be equated with those who remained absent for routine personal reasons or lack of preparation. It said the complete factual position must be established before considering any relief.
The court directed the Chief Secretary to file an affidavit detailing the districts affected by the cyclone and floods, the period of disruption, the impact on road, rail and other transport services, and whether any areas were officially declared calamity-affected. Reports received from district Collectors on disruption to public movement have also been sought.
The OPSC Secretary has been directed to furnish details of the total number of candidates issued admit cards, centre-wise and date-wise attendance and absentee figures, and the number of candidates from affected districts, particularly those who had opted for examination centres at Brahmapur and Jayapur but could not appear.
The Commission must also disclose whether it received representations from candidates citing the natural calamity, the action taken on such requests, and whether rescheduling the examination or any paper was considered. Details of the recruitment schedule, including evaluation, result declaration and personality tests, have also been sought.
The Bench further asked the authorities to explain how candidates genuinely prevented by the calamity could be identified and verified, the implications of a special examination for evaluating those who have already appeared, the possible need for normalisation and the impact on the recruitment timeline.
The affidavits have been directed to be filed by November 6, when the matter will be taken up again.
Orissa POST – Odisha’s No.1 English Daily