RISHABH DUGGAL Vs. REGISTRAR GENERAL

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioners - who aspire to join the Delhi Judicial Services -have filed the present petitions challenging the Model Answer Key dtd. 20/12/2023 and the Revised Answer Key dtd. 29/1/2024 to the Preliminary Examination of the Delhi Judicial Services Examination 2023 (hereafter DJS Examination 2023). The petitioners have not qualified the said examination as the marks secured by them fall short of the threshold of 160.75 marks as declared by the respondent for the candidates of General Category. The respondent is hereafter referred to as the Examining Authority or DHC.

(2.) On 6/11/2023, DHC issued a Notification inviting applications for filling 53 (Fifty Three) vacancies including 9 (Nine) anticipated vacancies in the Delhi Judicial Services (hereafter DJS). The aspirants were required to qualify the DJS Examination 2023. The said examination comprises of three successive stages. The first stage being an objective type examination with 25% negative marking - Delhi Judicial Service Preliminary Examination (hereafter the Preliminary Examination). The candidates clearing the Preliminary Examination would be admitted to the second stage - the Delhi Judicial Service Mains (Written) Examination. The candidates qualifying the Delhi Judicial Service Mains (Written) Examination would be called for the third stage - Viva-Voce. The final list of candidates would be declared on the basis of the marks secured by candidates in the Delhi Judicial Service Mains (Written) Examination and the Viva-Voce.

(3.) The Preliminary Examination was held on 17/12/2023. It was an objective type examination to shortlist the candidates to be admitted to the Delhi Judicial Service Mains (Written) Examination. The marking scheme provided for equal marks for each question (one mark) with a negative 0.25 marks for an incorrect answer.