ANTHONY S MARIYAPPA Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) These petitions seek to assail the impugned order dated 15.03.2016 passed by the Central Administrative Tribunal in O.A.No.170/00239/2015. Both the petitions are heard and disposed of by this common order.

(2.) The petitioner Sri.Anthony S. Mariyappa, and the third respondent Sri. G.Kiran, appeared for the Civil Services Examination conducted in the year 2013 for selection to Indian Forest Services (IFS), an examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (for short 'UPSC') in terms of notification dated 05.03.2013, also known as 'The Rules for a competitive examination to be held by the Union Public Service Commission in 2013' for the purpose of filling vacancies in the Indian Forest Service (hereinafter referred to as 'The Rules' for short).

(3.) The undisputed facts are that the petitioner herein applied for the post as General Merit candidate, while the third respondent applied as Reserved candidate (Scheduled Caste). In the preliminary examination, the petitioner secured 270.68 marks, while the third respondent secured 247.18 marks. The qualifying marks for General Merit was prescribed as 267, while the qualifying marks under Scheduled Caste Category was 233 marks. Since both the candidates secured the requisite qualifying marks, they were admitted for the Main examination (written). In the Main examination, the third respondent secured 617 marks and the cut-off marks for General Merit was 479. Both the candidates were interviewed in the personality test and inclusive of the interview marks, the third respondent secured 791 marks. The petitioner herein scored lesser than the third respondent. As a result, in the merit list that was prepared by the UPSC, the petitioner herein stood at Sl.No.37, while the third respondent was placed at Sl.No.19.