The Delhi High Court on Wednesday, 15 July issued notice to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and the Centre on a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking stricter safeguards against the alleged misuse of the scribe facility in the Civil Services Examination by candidates with disabilities. The PIL contends that the current framework allows former UPSC aspirants and coaching institute faculty to legally serve as scribes, potentially distorting the examination's integrity.

What the Court Said

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia issued notice to the UPSC, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), and the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. The matter has been posted for further hearing on 16 September.

The bench initially questioned whether the petition was maintainable as a PIL, with Chief Justice Upadhyaya observing: 'How can it be a PIL? The affected candidate can move a petition.' Advocate Rahul Bajaj, appearing for the petitioner, countered that the existing framework 'is resulting in an unequal playing field,' after which the court proceeded to issue notice.

The Core Legal Challenge

Filed by Deepstambh Foundation, the PIL challenges the UPSC's existing scribe qualification criteria on the ground that a scribe's qualification 'cannot be more than the minimum qualification of the candidate, which is graduation,' as Bajaj submitted. Since the minimum educational qualification for the Civil Services Examination is graduation, the petitioner argues this opens the door for graduates who have themselves appeared in the exam — at the Preliminary, Mains, or even Interview stage — or who are affiliated with coaching institutes, to serve as scribes.

The PIL seeks specific directions requiring the UPSC to disallow scribes who have previously appeared in the Civil Services Examination at any stage, and to bar scribes affiliated with UPSC coaching centres. It also seeks a mandatory undertaking from every scribe confirming they have neither appeared in the examination nor coached civil services aspirants.

The Alleged Loophole

According to the petition, the UPSC notification permits candidates with benchmark disabilities — including blindness, low vision, locomotor disability, and cerebral palsy — to use a scribe. The existing rule states the scribe's qualification 'will not be more than the minimum qualification criteria of the examination,' while requiring the scribe to be matriculate or above.

The PIL alleges that scribes drawn from coaching faculties or with prior examination exposure possess familiarity with the exam pattern and answer-writing techniques, and 'subtly influence content, structure, and quality of responses,' effectively turning the examination into 'a collaborative effort rather than an individual test of merit.' The petition is careful to clarify it does not seek to dilute the scribe facility for persons with disabilities, but seeks 'narrowly tailored safeguards' to prevent alleged misuse.

Background and What Prompted the PIL

Deepstambh Foundation had reportedly submitted a representation to the UPSC on 11 April 2026, highlighting the alleged loophole and proposing corrective measures. Having received no response, the foundation approached the Delhi High Court. This comes amid broader scrutiny of UPSC examination processes in recent years, with questions around transparency and equal access recurring across multiple cycles. The next hearing is scheduled for 16 September, when the UPSC and the Centre are expected to file their responses.