The Allahabad High Court has ruled on reserved-category candidates in a UPPSC exam. Those who clear the general cut-off without relaxation must be treated as unreserved at the screening stage. The ruling came on September 29, 2026.
The case is about a UPPSC exam for Swasthya Shiksha Adhikari posts. A Lucknow bench of Justices Rajan Roy and Manjive Shukla passed the order. The bench allowed a special appeal by Bhavna Yadav and others.
What the Allahabad High Court ruled
The judges made one point plainly. The screening exam is not just a shortlisting step. Its marks count towards the final list.
Why screening marks count in final selection
The exam gives 75 percent weight to screening marks. It gives 25 percent to the interview. Both decide the final merit list. So screening forms an integral part of final selection, the court held.
| Stage | Weight in final merit list |
|---|---|
| Screening exam | 75 percent |
| Interview | 25 percent |
What the petitioners challenged
The UPPSC advertisement, dated December 22, 2025, set the disputed rule. Reserved candidates would shift to the unreserved group only at final selection. That shift applied only if they took no concession at the screening stage.
The petitioners challenged that condition. They also challenged a UPPSC office memorandum dated January 9, 2020.
The court read Section 3(6) of the state reservation Act, 1994. It found the Act ties the shift to no single stage. The bench held the January 9, 2020 memorandum does not apply here.
The court then set aside the disputed rule in the UPPSC advertisement.
What UPPSC must do in three months
The court set two three-month deadlines. UPPSC must review whether the memorandum applies. The Uttar Pradesh government must frame its policy on this issue.
What this changes is simple. A reserved candidate who beats the general cut-off on merit cannot be held to the final stage. UPPSC recruits for Uttar Pradesh state posts.
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What did the Allahabad High Court rule on September 29, 2026?
The Allahabad High Court ruled on September 29, 2026 that reserved-category candidates who clear the general cut-off without any relaxation must be treated as unreserved at the screening stage of a UPPSC exam.
Why does the screening exam count in final selection?
The screening exam is not just a shortlisting step. In this UPPSC recruitment, 75 percent of screening marks and 25 percent of interview marks decide the final merit list, so screening forms part of final selection.
Which recruitment does this case concern?
The case is a UPPSC recruitment for Swasthya Shiksha Adhikari posts in Uttar Pradesh. A Lucknow bench heard a special appeal by Bhavna Yadav and others against a rule in the December 22, 2025 advertisement.
What has the court ordered UPPSC to do next?
UPPSC must review whether its January 9, 2020 office memorandum applies to this exam, within three months. The Uttar Pradesh government must frame and clarify its policy on reservation migration in the same three months.
Last verified: September 30, 2026
Disclaimer: Court rulings, exam rules and eligibility can change. Check with UPPSC or the official order before you act.
