KARACHI: The Sindh High Court has directed the Sindh Public Service Commission (SPSC) to prepare regulations in the light of a Supreme Court judgement within six months after the SPSC chief admitted that they were conducting exams under regulations which were not approved.

The SHC ruled that the regulations were made in comparison with the public service commissions of other provinces, including the Federal Public Service Commission, and such regulations would also provide Prometric examination system in order to lessen human error.

A single bench of the SHC headed by Justice Salahuddin Panhwar also asked the SPSC that such draft regulations before placing to the law department for vetting should be shared with the advocate general of Sindh, who would also examine the same and would ensure that the same would be in accordance with judgments of this court as well as the apex court.

The bench issued these directives while hearing an application filed in 2017 by an education officer over alleged preparation of fake invigilation bill by another education officer regarding annual examination 2011.

During the proceedings, the chairman of the SPSC admitted that the SPSC regulations were merely a draft though the same were drafted in 2006 and they were conducting examinations under regulations which were not approved.

Subsequently, the bench observed that the same were without any legal sanctity, adding that it was alarming that since inception of the SPSC, all its recruitments as recommended were without regulations and they had made no mechanism to conduct interviews.

In the last hearing, the bench had ordered that the CCTV cameras must be installed in examination halls having capability of video and audio recordings and interviews of the candidates would also be recorded as well as taking measures to control impersonation.

However, the SPSC chairman sought some amendments to the last order while referring to a recent letter of the FPSC regarding the procedure of interview/viva voce of adviser/expert. The SPSC expressed serious reservation over installation of the closed-circuit television cameras and contended that it would create confusion among the candidates.

The bench observed that in order to escape the compliance with the consenting order, the chairman of the SPSC was taking refuge under the letter of the FPSC and observed that “In the absence of any legal rules / regulations, the ‘Commission’ is bent upon to take control of whole ‘interview process’ which, even, appears to be in negation to categorical directions of the Honourable Apex Court with regard to ‘interview process’”.

However, the secretaries of schools and colleges, a representative of chief secretary and advocate general of Sindh contended that since the interview process was one of the vital parts of recruitment process, there was no harm if there would be audio and video recording of interviews.

Thereafter, the bench directed the SPSC to ensure that the CCTV recording of interview has capacity of audio and video recording.

It further said that since chairman of the SPSC was concerned that the parallel involvement of the IBA in screening test would not serve the purpose and the process may be completely outsourced.

Accordingly, with regard to first portion as ordered on Jan 28, the SPSC would be at liberty to conduct examinations in that manner or completely outsource the screening test through the IBA.

With regard to the examinations of viva voce it is agreed that the same shall be carried out by three members, including one subject specialist having equal marks and expert in the complete exercise will be hired from IBA Sukkur and in case any specialist is not available with IBA, IBA Sukkur will arrange the substitute, it added.

Published in Dawn, April 5th, 2020