In a significant verdict safeguarding candidate rights in public recruitment, the Full Bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal resolved an important reference concerning the appointment process for Scientist posts in the National Informatics Centre. The reference arose in O.A. No. 962/2025 with O.A. No. 458/2026 (titled Neeraj Kumar & Anr. v. Union of India & Ors.), where the Court pronounced its authoritative order on October 16, 2026.
The controversy centered on Advertisement No. NIELIT/NIC/2022/2, covering recruitment for Scientist-C and Scientist-D posts. After applicants cleared the written screening examination, academic evaluation, document verification, and personal interview, a provisional select list was published on March 15, 2024. However, the authorities unilaterally cancelled the entire selection process through an order dated February 25, 2025, asserting that later scrutiny revealed several shortlisted candidates lacked qualitative eligibility criteria.
Earlier conflicting rulings emerged across different benches regarding whether provisionally selected candidates needed to undergo a re-interview alongside document reassessment. The Principal Bench had previously mandated fresh interviews before an independent committee, while the Chennai Bench held that fresh interviews were unwarranted.
Resolving the conflict, the Court set aside the blanket cancellation order, declaring it arbitrary, disproportionate, and legally impermissible. Relying on settled Supreme Court jurisprudence, the Court established that when candidates commit no fraud, malpractice, or irregularity, administrative lapses in document scrutiny cannot penalize successful candidates.
The Court held that the Chennai Bench view represents the correct legal position. Consequently, the authorities must complete the recruitment process and issue appointment orders based on eligibility reassessment under the notified rules, strictly without subjecting candidates to a fresh interview.
Read the Judgment here.