Make online recruitment user friendly: Madras HC orders TNPC to introduce correction window in portal

The Madras High Court recently directed Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) to include a correction window for all recruitments to allow candidates rectify mistakes in their job applications [The Secretary, TNPSV Vs M Senthilkumar and another]

A Division Bench of Justices GR Swaminathan and Justice S Srimathy called upon the State recruiting agency to audit its online recruitment process and make it user-friendly.

It added that TNPSC must anticipate common mistakes that candidates may commit, and specify recognised equivalent qualifications in a note appended to the application.

"An application correction window has to necessarily form part of the notification providing for a short window period during which any correction/modification could be carried out by the applicant in a hassle free manner," the Court observed.

The Court passed the order while dealing with an appeal concerning an ex-serviceman M Senthilkumar, whose candidature for a Group IIA post had been rejected during certificate verification.

Senthilkumar had obtained an Industrial Training Institute qualification and also secured a Bachelor of Arts degree. He also served in the Army for 17 years and received a graduation certificate from the defense authorities.

Though these qualifications made him eligible for the post, he uploaded neither his ITI certificate nor the Army graduation certificate with his application. Instead, he relied on a foundation course certificate that was not recognised as equivalent to the higher secondary course.

After he moved the High Court, a single-judge in July 2024 allowed him to participate in the recruitment process. However, the decision was challenged by TNPSC.

In the judgment passed on July 10, the Division Bench held that Senthilkumar's failure to upload the ITI certificate or Army graduation certificate was fatal.

It also opined that relaxation in such matters would open flood gates and cause prejudice to the other similarly placed individuals. It, therefore, set aside the single-judge order.

However, the Court also observed that that while digitisation ensures efficiency and transparency, it leaves little room for accommodating deserving cases.

“The purpose of digitization is to facilitate and expedite. It cannot turn out to be a trap,” the Court said.

It added that persons who do not fit into the pattern prescribed by digital systems may be excluded without an opportunity to explain or correct their mistakes.

“A machine will not distinguish between matter and man. It is bereft of emotion. The digital world is no different. There is efficiency and transparency. But compassion is wholly absent,” the judgment said.

Thus, the Court directed TNPSC to introduce a short-time application correction window for all recruitments.

"The system must not mechanically process all applications and issue hall tickets. If a candidate is not eligible, he must be informed at the very earliest," the Court said.

TNPSC was represented by Standing Counsel V Panneer Selvam

Advocate Mohamed Zamil of Ajmal Associates appeared for Senthilkumar.

Additional Government Pleader GV Vairam Santhosh represented the State.

[Read Judgment]