Rudranarayan Tripathy v. Odisha Staff Selection Commission
IN THE HIGH COURT OF ORISSA AT CUTTACK
W.P.(C) No.8949 OF 2022 Rudranarayan Tripathy & another ....
Petitioners Mr.Satya Shiva Dash, Advocate -versusOdisha Staff Selection Commission and another ....
Opposite Parties Mr.P.K.Parhi, A.S.G.
CORAM:
JUSTICE A.K. MOHAPATRA Order No.
ORDER
19.04.2022 01.
1.
This matter is taken up through Hybrid Arrangement (Virtual /Physical Mode).
2.
Heard learned counsel for the Petitioner.
3.
The present writ application has been filed by the Petitioners with a prayer for a direction to the Opposite Parties to extend the date of the Language test which was scheduled to be held on 25.04.2022 under Annexure-7 to the writ application.
4.
It is submitted by the learned counsel for the Petitioners that initially the Petitioners applied for recruitment to the post of Junior Stenographer pursuant to the advertisement dated 21.12.2016. It is also submitted by the learned counsel for the Petitioner that initially the advertisement published in the year 2016 and the same has provided that the shorthand and transcription test both in Odia and English shall be conducted on 25.04.2022 in Bhubaneswar and both the Odia software (Akruti and Leap Office) will be made available for the transcription test of Odia on computer. Pursuant to such advertisement the Petitioners were practicing and getting used to
// 2 // "Leap Office" software to appear in the examination to be conducted by the Opposite Party No.1. However, recently a notice was published on 22.03.2022 wherein the Opposite Party No.1 again has changed the mode of examination. It is stated that the "Leap Office" software works in the system with operating system of windows-7 and other older versions. Now-a-days almost all computer labs have updated their operating system to windows-8, or other higher versions of windows for better operational feasibility which is not compatible to "leap office". Therefore the Opposite Parties provided to conduct the transcription test in computer in Odia using "Akruti" software instead of "leap office".
5.
The sole grievance of the Petitioner as well as the similarly situated many other candidates for the post of Junior Stenographers is that the notice which was published on 22.03.2022 by changing the pattern of the examination does not give them adequate time to practice with the computer using new software and get used to it. Therefore the same has caused serious prejudice to them. It is further submitted that adequate opportunity should have been provided to the Petitioners to use the new software suggested and get practice opportunity of transcription by using "Akruti" software. 6.
In this context, it is further submitted by the learned counsel for the Petitioner that the Petitioner along with many others have submitted a representation to the Odisha Staff Selection Commission on 29.03.2022. He further submits that no action has been taken on such representation of the Petitioners.
7.
Considering the limited nature of grievance and considering the importance of the examination for recruitment to the post of Junior Stenographers and the future prospect of the Petitioners, this Court directs the Opposite Party No.1 to consider the representation of the Petitioners expeditiously before the scheduled date of
// 3 // examination and in the event it is held by the Opposite Party No.1 that the examination needs to be postponed for few days for giving a better opportunity to the candidates to get used to the new software, the Opposite Party No.1 shall do well to take a decision keeping in view the interest of the candidates, who are likely to appear in the said examination.
8.
With the aforesaid observation the writ application stands disposed of.
9.
Issue urgent certified copy as per Rules.
RKS ( A.K. Mohapatra ) Judge