Why give OBCs 7 chances, SC asks UPSC

When a general candidate gets only four chances to clear the Civil Services Examination conducted by the Union Public Services Commission, why should candidates belonging to SC, ST and OBC categories be given seven attempts, asked a petition in the Supreme Court. Appearing for petitioner Aditya Kumar, counsel M L Lahoty argued before a Bench comprising Justices Altamas Kabir and Cyriac Joseph that this clearly struck at the root of the fundamental right to equality. Though the Bench refused to examine the constitutionality of the additional chances given to SC and ST candidates, it issued notice to UPSC whether OBC candidates should be treated at par with SC/ST candidates. The Delhi High Court had dismissed Kumar's petition on the ground that the additional number of chances given to backward classes could not be faulted as the very object of Article 16(4) of the Constitution was to ensure equal opportunity in matters of public employment and give adequate representation to those who had been disadvantaged from time immemorial on account of sociological reasons. The petitioner questioned the HC judgment and said the differentiation sought to be made between general candidates and backward class candidates defied reasonable logic.