DINESH Vs. COUNCIL OF SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Through the present batch of Writ Petitions filed under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution of India, the Petitioners assail the correctness of the common Order dtd. 8/9/2025 [hereinafter referred to as "Impugned Order"] passed by the learned Central Administrative Tribunal, Principal Bench, New Delhi [hereinafter referred to as "the Tribunal"], whereby the Original Applications instituted by the Petitioners challenging the prescription of minimum threshold marks in Paper-III by the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research [hereinafter referred to as "CSIR"] in Combined Administrative Services Examination-2023 [hereinafter referred to as "CASE-2023"] were dismissed.

(2.) In essence, the Petitioners contend that the Respondent-CSIR acted arbitrarily and contrary to the terms of the Recruitment-advertisement by prescribing minimum qualifying marks for Paper-III after the commencement of the recruitment process, thereby altering the rules of the game mid-way. It is urged that such a prescription resulted in the exclusion of the Petitioners from consideration for the post of Sec. Officer ( "SO").

(3.) Hence, the issue that falls for consideration before this Court is whether the Respondent-CSIR was empowered under the Recruitment-advertisement to prescribe minimum threshold marks for Stage-II (Paper-III) of CASE-2023, and whether the prescription of such threshold marks vitiates the recruitment process as being arbitrary or contrary to settled principles governing public employment.