Where the misconduct is attributable to a single candidate, does the recruiting authority have the power to cancel the examination for all candidates, or must it first establish that the integrity of the entire examination process was compromised?
This question becomes particularly important in light of the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) Drug Inspector recruitment controversy. MPSC cancelled the Drug Inspector, Group-B recruitment process after allegations of a question-paper leak in the March 22, 2026 examination. The decision has now been challenged before the Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal (MAT), reportedly on the ground that cancelling the entire examination because of the misconduct of an individual candidate may unfairly prejudice thousands of innocent candidates.
There is also a history of examination cancellations in Uttar Pradesh. Several UP examinations were cancelled following allegations of paper leaks and widespread irregularities; for example, the UP Police Constable recruitment examination was cancelled in 2024 after the question paper was widely circulated.
The legal issue, therefore, is not simply whether an examination can be cancelled, but whether such cancellation satisfies principles of natural justice, proportionality, legitimate expectation and fairness under Article 14 of the Constitution.
My question is:
If fraud is proved against only one candidate, can the government legally cancel the entire recruitment examination affecting thousands of otherwise innocent candidates? Or should the authority adopt a less restrictive remedy, such as cancelling the candidature of the tainted candidate, conducting a targeted re-examination, or cancelling only the affected shift/centre?
What principles have Indian courts applied when deciding whether an entire competitive examination should be cancelled because of isolated malpractice?
