PARIHAR, J. - (1.) SINCE on same set of facts similar relief has been claimed by all the petitioners, the writ petitions have been heard together and are being decided by this common order.
(2.) IN pursuance to the advertisement issued by the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (for short the Commission), for recruitment to the post of Sub INspector, vide Notification dated 5. 11. 2001, the petitioners also submitted their applications. The written examination was held on 28. 7. 2002. The petitioners were allowed to appear in the said examination. The answer sheet of the petitioners for the paper of General Knowledge & General Science could not be assessed/ checked by the computer since they failed to mention the series of question paper at the appropriate place marked for the same. The results of the above examination was declared on 23. 1. 2003. having failed in the said examination, present writ petitions have been filed with a prayer for directing the respondent Commission to assess/check the answer sheets of the petitioners of the paper of General Knowledge & General Science as per the series mentioned by them in the writ petition. Learned counsel for the petitioners have submitted that since the petitioners were not aware of the complete process and procedure of the examination in question, the benefit of ignorance should have been given to them on the ground of equity. On the other hand, Mr. Kumawat, learned counsel for the respondent Commission, has submitted that in view of the clear instructions mentioned in the question paper as also the answer sheet and further on provision for reconsideration been made in the relevant rules or guidelines issued by the Commission, the relief as prayed for in the present writ petitions cannot be granted to the petitioners. It has further been submitted that there has been more than four hundred such candidates who failed to mention the series number on the answer sheet and, as per programming, their answer sheets were not checked by the computer resulting in their failure in the above examination. The question paper as also the blank answer sheet, as provided to the candidates in the examination in question, have been placed before this court for perusal. As per instruction No. 7 mentioned on the question paper the candidates should indicate on the answer sheet the alphabet of the question paper series. The same has been reproduced in Hindi as well. On the answer sheet also, as per the instructions given, a candidate is required to fill in required entries before beginning to answer the questions. The column of booklet series has also been clearly mentioned. As per reply filed on behalf of the Commission, the answer sheet shall be checked by the computer only as per the series mentioned by a candidate on the answer sheet. It is a common and general knowledge that whosoever appears in an examination, is required and supposed to read the instructions properly and carefully before beginning to answer the questions. Having failed to take the precautions in any manner, the candidate cannot be allowed to put blame on the invigilator or the agency holding such examination. The lapse in this regard can only be treated as total negligence and carelessness of the candidates and is nothing but accidents of such examinations, more particularly, the competitive examination.
(3.) AFTER having considered entire facts and circumstances of the present case, moreso, when the whole selection process is over, I find no ground for any further interference of this court. Misplaced sympathies on the ground of equity only make a bad law. Accordingly, the writ petitions are dismissed as having no merit. .;