Selection Criteria Cannot Be Altered Post-Interview: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has held that recruitment authorities cannot alter selection criteria once the interview stage, the final stage of evaluation, is completed.

Dismissing the Jammu & Kashmir Services Selection Board’s appeal, the Court upheld the High Court’s decision granting relief to candidates disadvantaged by a post-interview modification in the evaluation scheme for Forester posts.

The Board had initially allotted 25 marks for a B.Sc. Forestry degree but after the interviews concluded, later split this into 3-year (20 marks) and 4-year (25 marks) categories.

The Court held this amounted to changing the “rule of the game” after the process had concluded, making the alteration arbitrary and impermissible.

[J&K Services Selection Board v Sudesh Kumar]