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Before proceeding to set out the submissions addressed, it becomes pertinent to note that none of the petitions impugn the notification issued on 16 May 2020 or the subsequent instructions issued to facilitate conclusion of the selection process. This assumes significance since these notifications did clarify that the data collected at the stage of submission of online applications for the ATRE would be utilised for completing the selection process. The Court also notes that though this notification was issued as far back as May 2020, it was never challenged by any of the petitioners prior to submission of their online applications or even thereafter. The procedure adopted by the respondents was questioned for the first time only during the course of oral submissions. While these two reasons would have been sufficient to negate a challenge on that score, since learned senior counsel laid considerable emphasis on the issue and sought to underline the importance of the challenge, the Court deems it expedient in the interest of justice to deal with the challenge on merits rather than shutting out the petitioners for reasons aforenoted. The Court also deems it expedient to lend a quietus to these and other questions raised at this stage of the selection where proceedings have virtually reached the end and appointments already made.

The Court also bears in consideration the contents of the notice dated 16 May 2020 which clearly put all candidates to notice of the data collected earlier being utilised to complete the selection process and take it to its culmination.

The relevant extracts of that notice are set out hereunder:

"ऑनलाइन ई आवेदन पत्र का प्रारूप, आवश्यक दिशा निर्देश एवं जनपदवार रिक्तियों का विवरण वेबसाइट https://upbasiceduboard.gov.in/ पर दिनांक 18.5.2020 के अपरान्ह से दिनांक 06.6.2020 साय 6 बजे तक उपलब्ध रहेगा । अभ्यर्थी द्वारा दिनांक 18.5.2020 के अपरान्ह से दिनांक 26.5.2020 की रात्रि 12 बजे तक निर्धारित वेबसाइट पर ऑनलाइन आवेदन पत्र भरा जा सकेगा । अभ्यर्थी को 69000 सहायक अध्यापको की भर्ती हेतु आयोजित भर्ती परीक्षा के लिए निर्गत किया गया अनुक्रमांक, जन्मतिथि तथा मोबाइल संख्या को निर्धारित वेबसाइट पर भरना होगा, जिसके उपरान्त अभ्यर्थी की उक्त मोबाइल पर ओ टी पी (वन टाइम पॉसवर्ड ) प्राप्त होगा, जिसे भरने पर ही यह आवेदन पत्र में वांछित प्रविष्टियों को पूर्ण कर सकेगा । विशेष रूप से उल्लेखनीय है कि सहायक अध्यापक पद पर नियुक्ति हेतु अभ्यर्थी को भर्ती परीक्षा हेतु भरे गये आवेदन पत्र कि प्रविष्टिया प्रदर्शित हो जायेगी जिसमे किसी प्रकार का परिवर्तन नहीं किया जा सकेगा । उक्त के अतिरिक्त कतिपय अन्य वांछित प्रविष्टियों को अभ्यर्थियों द्वारा भरते हुए आवेदन पत्र को पूर्ण करना होगा । एक बार आवेदन पत्र पूर्ण करने के उपरान्त उसमे किसी प्रकार का संशोधन नहीं किया जा सकेगा ।

The aforesaid considerations which must necessarily guide the evaluation of challenges to selection and recruitment were reiterated recently by the Supreme Court in Vikesh Kumar Gupta Vs. State of Rajasthan7.

Dealing with a similar claim for rectification in application forms submitted in the course of a selection process for Shiksha Nideshaks, a Division Bench of the Court in Arti Verma Vs. State of U.P.8 observed:-

"In the present case, the appellant claimed the benefit of Freedom Fighters category. The contention that this was as a result of an error committed by the Computer Operator cannot simply be accepted for the reason that the appellant would necessarily be responsible for any statement which he made on line. If the Courts were to accept such a plea of the appellant, that would result in a situation where the appellant would get the benefit of a wrong category if the wrong claim went unnoticed and if noticed, the appellant could always turn around and claim that this was as a result of human error. Each candidate necessarily must bear the consequences of his failure to fill up the application form correctly. No fault can, therefore, be found in rejecting the application for correction when the candidate himself has failed to make a proper disclosure or where, as in the present case, the application is submitted under a wrong category. Interference of the High Court under Article 226 of the Constitution is clearly not warranted in such matters as it creates grave uncertainty since the selection process cannot be finally completed."