In Brief
A government commission conducted an examination for Gram Panchayat Adhikari in February 2016. Question 46 asked who was the current Panchayati Raj Minister of Uttar Pradesh; the correct answer (Option B) was Kailash Yadav, who died 12 days before the exam. The commission awarded one mark to candidates who selected Option B (the once-correct answer) and to those who did not attempt the question, but denied the mark to those who selected other incorrect options. The respondent, who chose Option A, fell one mark short of the selection cutoff and challenged this decision. The Supreme Court upheld the commission's decision as a lawful, non-arbitrary distinction, holding that examining bodies' decisions merit judicial restraint absent palpable perversity. The respondent's answer was incorrect both when the question was set and when examined; thus he could not claim parity with others.
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