The Allahabad High Court has sought responses from the Uttar Pradesh government and the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC). This action follows a petition challenging the results of the PCS (Combined State/Upper Subordinate Services) Preliminary Examination, 2025, and the Assistant Conservator of Forests Preliminary Examination.
Justice Manish Mathur’s single bench issued the order on December 19 . The court mandates the state government and UPPSC to file their replies within three weeks. The next hearing is scheduled for January 22, 2026 .
Manish Kumar and three other candidates filed the writ petition. They appeared as Other Backward Class (OBC) candidates for the PCS preliminary examination, 2025. Petitioners claim they scored higher marks than the general category cut-off.
Their plea states that the Reservation Act and Migration Rules dictate reserved category candidates, who score equal to or above the general category cut-off without special exemptions, should be accommodated in the general category. The petitioners allege they were denied this benefit and consequently excluded from the main examination.
Understanding the Examinations
The PCS Examination recruits for administrative and executive roles within the Uttar Pradesh government. These positions include Deputy Collector and Deputy Superintendent of Police. The Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) Examination recruits officers for forest management, wildlife, and environmental conservation in Uttar Pradesh.
Reservation and Migration Rules
India’s reservation policy ensures representation for social groups like Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC) in public services. Each category has specific cut-off marks. The “migration rule” allows reserved category candidates scoring at or above the general category cut-off, without using category-specific concessions, to compete for unreserved (general) seats.
The petitioners assert they met these specific conditions. They scored above the general category threshold without using any OBC-specific benefits. Therefore, they argue, they should have been considered for general category positions.
Next Steps and Impact
This legal challenge affects candidates for the PCS Prelims 2025 and ACF Prelims. The outcome could impact final merit lists and the selection process. The Uttar Pradesh government and UPPSC must now submit detailed counter-affidavits, explaining their position and the results’ rationale.
The court will review these submissions during the hearing on January 22, 2026 . This hearing will determine the next steps regarding the examination results and the petitioners’ claims.