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"54. In view of the aforesaid analysis, this Court directs that the Additional Chief Secretary Government of Odisha in exercise of power under Order-17 of the Police Order, 2021 shall grant relaxation in the upper age limit up to 4 years as a onetime measure by taking into consideration the grounds stated hereinabove. It is further directed that there is no necessity to cancel the entire advertisement, instead the State Selection Board shall publish a proposed Corrigendum by granting // 9 // age relaxation of 4 years by 30th January, 2023. Further it be directed in the said Corrigendum that the application of the candidates, who come within the aforesaid upper age relaxation limit, shall be submitted through both online as well as (offline) manual mode by 10th February, 2023. Accordingly, a fresh date for holding the recruitment examination, as would be found suitable, be fixed afresh in the week commencing 20 February, 2023 and the same be notified by the State Selection Board. The applicants who have already submitted their applications need not apply afresh again."

4.6. It is also contended that as provided under Rule-2 of the OCS (Fixation of Upper Age Limit) Rules, 1989, the upper age limit for entry into Government service in Civil Service / Civil Court in Pensioner Establishment was fixed at 32 years. Fixation of the upper age limit at 32 years, was further amended vide OCS (Fixation of Upper Age Limit) Amendment Rules, 2022. As per the Notification issued on 11.11.2022, Government relaxed the upper age limit to 38 years and made it mandatory in respect of the advertisements issued during the calendar year, 2021, 2022 and 2023.

"I am directed to inform you that, a High Level Meeting was held under the Chairmanship of the Hon'ble C.M. in the presence of Advocate General, Odisha, Chief Secretary, Odisha, ACS, Home Department, DGP, Odisha, Chairman, State Selection Board and others.

It was decided that as a onetime benevolent measure in the larger interest of the candidates who had applied for the post of Constables and Sepoys in Battalions pursuant to the Advertisement No.02/SSB, dt. 22.09.2024 before the date of making applications and have appeared in the written examination will be given three years upper age limit relaxation in respective categories of candidates as prescribed in Method of Recruitment and Conditions of Services of Sepoys, Constables. Havildars and ASI (Armed) Order, 2022 Vide Notification No.30941/D & A, Dt.13.09.2022 of Home Department, Govt. of Odisha.

// 25 // 7.4. It is also not disputed that in similar nature of recruitment conducted by various Departments of the State, upper age relaxation to the extent of three years has been allowed pursuant to the order passed in the case of Nagen Bhoi & Ors in W.P.(C) No.341 of 2023.

The said order passed in the case of Nagen Bhoi was also never assailed by the State.

7.5. It is also found that, similar claim allowed by this Court though was assailed by the State in W.A. No.3321 of 2024, but State clearly accepted the proposal for extension of the upper age limit by three years. Not only that similar benefit of relaxation of upper age limit by three years has been allowed by this Court in its order dtd.24.07.2025 in W.P.(C) No.3015 of 2025 & batch. Similar benefit has also been extended by this Court in its judgment dtd.17.12.2024 in W.P.(C) No.20864 of 2024 and batch.