Government Job Recruitment Based Only on Bookish Knowledge: High Court’s Remark

Chandigarh:
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has observed that government job recruitment still largely depends on bookish knowledge. The court noted that most exams focus on rote learning and mechanical repetition of facts, instead of assessing problem-solving skills relevant to real-life administrative work.
As a result, the system often overlooks creativity, adaptability, emotional intelligence, and other essential administrative qualities.

Engineer Challenges Exclusion of Core Subjects in Exam

According to LiveLaw, the Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) announced a test for the post of Assistant Environmental Engineer. The syllabus included subjects such as General Science, Current Affairs, History, Politics, Economy, Reasoning, and Haryana-specific GK, but excluded the core engineering subjects.

A civil engineer approached the High Court under Articles 226/227 of the Constitution, seeking cancellation of the notification dated August 13, 2025, arguing that the screening test syllabus was unrelated to the technical nature of the post.

HPSC Defends Decision: Syllabus Simplified for Faster Hiring

During the hearing, the petitioner’s lawyer argued that the syllabus had no rational connection with the job’s technical duties.
However, the HPSC clarified that in 2023, it had received over 7,000 applications for 54 posts, and more than half of the vacancies remained unfilled. To speed up the recruitment process and make shortlisting easier, the Commission modified the screening syllabus.

Court Observes Exams Don’t Assess True Capability

Justice Harpreet Singh Brar remarked that recruitment exams still emphasize theoretical knowledge, ignoring practical problem-solving abilities.
He stated that this approach fails to measure essential qualities like creativity, adaptability, and emotional intelligence, which are necessary for effective governance and administration.

Officials Must Understand Citizens’ Concerns

The bench added that testing general knowledge is justified, especially for posts requiring a broad understanding of various subjects.
Future civil servants must have respect for the Constitution and awareness of citizens’ problems.
They should stay informed about scientific developments, socio-economic changes, and government policies to provide better public service.

Petition Dismissed by the High Court

Referring to the Supreme Court judgment in Maharashtra Public Service Commission vs. Sandeep Shriram Varade (2019), the High Court found no illegality in including general knowledge in the exam syllabus.
Consequently, the petition was dismissed.