In a significant interim order, the Madhya Pradesh High Court has granted relief to candidates belonging to the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) by allowing them to apply for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2025 with an additional five-year age relaxation, aligning their benefits with those of other reserved categories such as Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC). This decision addresses the longstanding disparity where EWS candidates were not afforded the same age relaxation and number of attempts as other reserved categories.
The case was brought before the Jabalpur bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court by petitioner Aditya Narayan Pandey from Maihar, who challenged the existing policies that excluded EWS candidates from age relaxation benefits. The petitioner contended that while EWS candidates are recognized as a reserved category, they do not receive the same concessions in age limits and the number of examination attempts as SC, ST, and OBC candidates. This, he argued, was a violation of the constitutional principles of equality enshrined in Articles 14 and 16, which guarantee equal opportunities in public employment.
The Union Public Service Commission had advertised 979 vacancies for the Civil Services Examination 2025, with the preliminary examination scheduled for May 25, 2025. The notification, however, did not provide age relaxation for EWS candidates, effectively grouping them with the general category, which has a maximum age limit of 32 years and six permissible attempts. In contrast, candidates from SC and ST categories are allowed up to 37 years of age with unlimited attempts, while OBC candidates have an upper age limit of 35 years with nine attempts.
Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the petitioner, argued that the exclusion of EWS candidates from age relaxation benefits was discriminatory and lacked a rational basis. He emphasized that the EWS reservation, introduced through the 103rd Constitutional Amendment Act in 2019, aimed to provide equitable opportunities to economically disadvantaged individuals who do not fall under SC, ST, or OBC categories. Denying them age relaxation, therefore, undermines the very objective of the reservation policy.
In response to the petition, the division bench comprising Chief Justice Suresh Kumar Kait and Justice Vivek Jain issued an interim order on February 14, 2025. The court directed the UPSC to accept applications from EWS candidates for the CSE 2025, granting them a five-year age relaxation and permitting nine attempts, similar to the provisions for other reserved categories. The court acknowledged the urgency of the matter, noting that the deadline for application submissions was imminent, and thus deemed it appropriate to provide interim relief to the affected candidates.
The court's order stated: "Respondent No.3-Union Public Service Commission is directed to accept the application of the petitioner as well as all other similarly situated candidates for CSE-2025 without reference to the existing qualification or age, but subject to compliance of other conditions." The applications were to be accepted within seven days from the date of the order. However, the court also stipulated that the appointment orders for such candidates would not be issued without its explicit permission, making the final outcomes contingent upon the court's subsequent decisions.
The Union Public Service Commission and the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) sought time to file their objections to the petition. They contended that the existing guidelines did not provide for age relaxation for EWS candidates. However, the court prioritized the immediate need to prevent potential injustice to EWS candidates who would have been barred from applying due to age constraints, especially with the application deadline approaching.
This interim order has been hailed as a progressive step towards ensuring equal opportunities for all sections of society. By extending age relaxation benefits to EWS candidates, the court has recognized the need to provide a level playing field for economically disadvantaged individuals, enabling them to compete more effectively in one of the country's most prestigious examinations. The final verdict on this matter will be keenly awaited, as it will have far-reaching implications for the implementation of EWS reservations in central government recruitments.
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