IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT : THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE V.GIRI WEDNESDAY, THE 9TH SEPTEMBER 2009 / 18TH BHADRA 1931 WP(C).No. 3655 of 2009(I) ------------------------- PETITIONER(S): --------------- SUNITHAKUMARI.K AGED 37 YEARS, W/O.KRISHNAN MANAKKAL HOUSE,ARIYALLOOR PO,MALAPPURAM DISTRICT. BY ADV. SRI.E.C.POULOSE SMT.BOBBY RAPHEAL.C SRI.K.P.JOHNSON RESPONDENT(S): --------------- THE KERALA PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY,PATTAM, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. ADV. SRI.ALEXANDER THOMAS,SC,KPSC FOR R1 GP ANU SIVARAMAN THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 09/09/2009,THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: V.GIRI, J ....................... W.P.(C).3655/2009 ....................... Dated this the 9th day of September, 2009 JUDGMENT Petitioner participated in the written examination conducted by the PSC as part of selection to the post of Clerk/Typist (Direct Recruitment). Syllabus for the test mentioned in Ext.P1 hall ticket is as follows:- “Main Topics:- General knowledge & Current Affairs, Typing Formatting and Computer Word Processing” 2. Petitioner participated in the test and Ext.P4 is the question paper which the candidate was required to answer for the post in question. The grievance highlighted is 15 out of the 100 questions which the examinee was required to answer, are of General English. This was not part of the syllabus published. Consequently, petitioner and others were prejudiced. Complaints were raised before the PSC praying for deletion of 15 questions in General English on the ground that they are out of syllabus. This was not W.P.(C).3655/2009 2 accepted and hence the writ petition has been filed seeking appropriate reliefs. 3. Counter affidavit has been filed by the respondent. Paragraph 3 of the same reads as follows:- “It is respectfully submitted that the petition received from Smt.Santhakumari K and Rajesh U.K. (Exts.P8 and 9) demanding the deletion of General English questions were examined by the Commission. As the basic qualifications required to apply for its post was a Pass in SSLC and KGTE. Typewriting English Lower, it is decided that the question need not be deleted. More over a candidate applying for the post of Clerk – Typist is excepted to have basic knowledge in General English that is Simple Grammar, Spelling and vocabulary. The 15 questions were intended to measure the basic knowledge of the candidates in General English defined as on.” 4. I heard learned counsel for the petitioner and learned counsel for the PSC. W.P.(C).3655/2009 3 5. It has been made clear in Ext.P1 itself that the post in question is that of an L.D.Typist who has to discharge functions with a minimum knowledge in English. 15 questions which, according to the petitioner, were to test the knowledge of the candidate in General English, would obviously be congruous to the format that is otherwise prescribed in the syllabus. After all, selecting authority would be justified in expecting the candidate to have basic knowledge in English. In such circumstances, it cannot be said that the process of selection as such is vitiated by the inclusion of 15 basic questions to test the knowledge of the candidate in fundamental English language. I find no merit in the writ petition. It is accordingly dismissed. V.GIRI, Judge mrcs