Why in news
A Supreme Court bench ruled that eligibility criteria for public service recruitment cannot be changed midway through the process.
The ruling emphasized that recruitment must follow the established rules and principles of equality, fairness, and non-discrimination.
What SC said
The Court held that once recruitment criteria are set and the process begins, the rules cannot be altered unless permitted by existing rules or the advertisement itself.
Changes in criteria must adhere to Articles 14 (equality) and 16 (non-discrimination) of the Constitution.
The Court clarified that being on the select list does not guarantee an appointment, but any denial of appointment must be justified by the state.
The ruling reinforced that "the rules of the game" must remain consistent throughout the recruitment process to ensure fairness and transparency.
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