Two GOs and a competitive exam Premium

After much delay and controversy, the Group-I test begins in Telangana

The Group-I exam in Telangana is again in the news for the wrong reasons. It has been 13 years since a Group-I officer was appointed in Telangana, including in the combined State of Andhra Pradesh.

The previous BRS government failed to conduct the exam in the first eight years of its tenure. It issued a notification only at the tail end of its second term, in April 2022 (Government Order or GO 55). However, the exam was cancelled twice: once because the question paper was leaked and sold to several candidates; and then because it did not follow due procedure.

The Congress government assumed power in December 2023. It issued a new notification, adding 60 posts to the 503 posts announced for the exam earlier in 2022. It amended GO 55 and paved the way for GO 29.

This GO is being opposed by a section of aspirants, who argue that the rule of reservation is being violated in the selection of candidates for the Mains. After the schedule for the Mains was announced, some aspirants took to the streets demanding the withdrawal of GO 29. Some of them moved the High Court to stall the exam on various grounds, but the Court dismissed their arguments. Officials argue that many of the protesting candidates have not qualified for the Mains.

The protesters want the selection for Mains to be picked in 1:50 (merit versus quota) ratio in every reserved category so that they have additional opportunities in the merit or open category. GO 55 adopted this method.

Officials argue that there was a possibility that GO 55 would be challenged as Supreme Court judgments clearly say that reservations cannot be implemented twice for the same notification. So, picking up candidates from each category at the prelims level would have violated this principle as the final selection of candidates for jobs would be based on the rule of reservation.

To overcome this problem, the Telangana Public Service Commission (TGPSC) made amendments to GO 55 and issued GO 29. As per this, candidates for the notified posts would be picked from the merit list irrespective of their reserved category in the ratio of 1:50. Reserved candidates would be picked from the merit list ensuring representation for each category as per the Constitution. If there is a shortage of candidates in any particular category, the TGPSC would go back to the merit list, search for reserved category candidates, and add them to their respective categories to ensure that the 1:50 ratio is maintained in each.