Patna High Court
Priyanka RaiversusThe State of Bihar
- Decided
- Disposal
- DISPOSED
- Bench
- ALOK KUMAR SINHA
Holding
The Court directed the Secretary, Bihar Public Service Commission to consider the petitioner's representation within a stipulated period and to pass a reasoned order after hearing, thereby granting the limited relief sought.
Summary
The petitioner, Priyanka Rai, challenged the answer key of two questions in the Bihar Public Service Commission's school teacher recruitment exam, alleging that the key was incorrect as per standard textbooks. She sought a writ of mandamus directing the BPSC to re‑evaluate the final answer key and to recompute her marks accordingly. The petitioner also requested that the BPSC be directed to consider any representation she files within a fixed time and to issue a reasoned order after a hearing. The State of Bihar and the BPSC raised no objection to the limited relief sought. The Court, with the consent of all parties, granted the petitioner liberty to file a detailed representation within one month and directed the Secretary of the BPSC to dispose of the representation within three months, after hearing the petitioner and delivering a reasoned order, thereby disposing of the writ application.
Issues considered
- Whether a writ of mandamus can be issued directing the BPSC to re‑evaluate specific questions of its examination answer key.
- Whether the petitioner is entitled to a time‑bound hearing and a reasoned order from the BPSC upon filing a representation.
- Whether the limited prayer sought by the petitioner is maintainable under writ jurisdiction.
Subjects
- revaluation of answer key
- mandamus
- public service commission
- representation
- writ jurisdiction
- educational recruitment
- administrative law
Judgment
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
Civil Writ Jurisdiction Case No.543 of 2025
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Priyanka Rai Daughter of Ramji Rai, Resident of Village- Jogamusahib, P.S.-
Jogamusahib, Ghazipur, District- Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh- 233 233.
... ... Petitioner/s
Versus
1. The State of Bihar through the Chief Secretary, Bihar, Patna.
2. The Principal Secretary, Education Department, Govt. of Bihar.
3. The Chairman, Bihar Public Service Commission 15, Nehru Path, Bailey
Road, Patna-1.
4. The Secretary, Bihar Public Service Commission 15, Nehru Path, Bailey
Road, Patna-1.
... ... Respondent/s
======================================================
Appearance :
For the Petitioner/s : Mr. Ravi Kumar, Adv
For the State : Mr. Mujtabaul Haque, GP12
Mr. Manish Kumar, AC to GP12
For the B.P.S.C. : Mr. Kaushal Kr. Jha, Sr. Adv
Mr. Amish Kumar, Adv
======================================================
CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE ALOK KUMAR SINHA
ORAL ORDER
3 19-02-2026 Heard learned counsel for the petitioner, learned
counsel for the B.P.S.C. and learned counsel for the respondent-
State.
2. With the consent of all the parties, this writ
application is being disposed of at this stage itself.
3. In the present writ application, the petitioner has
prayed for the grant of following reliefs:
(i) For issuance of appropriate
writ in the nature of mandamus for giving a
direction to respondents to consider the
revaluation of final answers key given with
Patna High Court CWJC No.543 of 2025(3) dt.19-02-2026
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respect to question no-54 of General studies
and question no.-93 of Part-III Hindi as
asked in School Teacher Recruitment
Competitive Examination conducted by
Bihar Public Service Commission in view of
the fact that from verification of final
answers key from standard Text Book with
respect to above mentioned question it has
been found that they are not correct.
(ii) It is further prayed that marks
of petitioner with respect to above mentioned
question should be reevaluated afresh in
accordance with the correct answer as given
in the standard text book.
4. After advancing some argument, learned counsel
for the petitioner submits that for the reliefs claimed for in the
present writ application, the petitioner is prepared to file a
detailed representation before the Secretary, Bihar Public
Service Commission and further prays that he would be satisfied
if an appropriate direction be issued to the Secretary, Bihar
Public Service Commission to dispose of the representation
filed by the petitioner within a fixed time frame, after giving an
opportunity of hearing to the petitioner.
5. To the aforesaid prayer being made by learned
counsel for the petitioner, learned counsel appearing for
Patna High Court CWJC No.543 of 2025(3) dt.19-02-2026
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respondent-State and learned counsel appearing for the Bihar
Public Service Commission do not have any objection.
6. Considering the limited nature of prayer being
made by learned counsel for the petitioner, this writ application
is disposed of granting liberty to the petitioner to file a detailed
representation before the Secretary, Bihar Public Service
Commission within one month from today and if such a
representation is filed within the stipulated time then the
Secretary, Bihar Public Service Commission is directed to
dispose of the same within a further period of three months,
after giving an opportunity of hearing to the petitioner. Needless
to emphasize that the final order which shall be passed by the
Secretary, Bihar Public Service Commission should be a
reasoned and speaking order.
7. With the aforesaid observation/direction and liberty
granted, this writ application is disposed of. All pending
interlocutory application(s), if any, shall also be deemed to have
been disposed of.
(Alok Kumar Sinha, J)
kiran/-
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