(Prayer: Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying for the issuance of Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus, to call for the records of the fourth respondent dated 26.08.2025 and 30.12.2025 relating to the petitioner Roll batch No.8207011997 with recruitment for the post of Constable (GD) in CRPF, quash the same as null and void and consequently direct the fourth respondent to conduct a fresh Physical Efficiency Test (PETP) for the petitioner for the post of Constable (GD) in CRPF in any date that may be fixed by this Court.)

1. The petitioner has applied for the post of Constable in CRPF, in the year 2025. He has cleared the written examination and has also been selected for the physical efficiency test. However, his candidature was rejected by the fourth respondent in the physical efficiency test that he has not completed the running race in 24 minutes. The petitioner has completed running race of five kilometers in 24 minutes and 21 seconds. Challenging the rejection order, the petitioner has preferred the present writ petition.

2. According to the petitioner, some other candidates, who were also rejected on similar grounds, have approached the Principal Seat of this Court, in WP.Nos.33420 of 2025 and etc., batch that the track has been filled up with the M-sand, due to the stagnation of rain water and therefore, it was slippery and it was not conducive for running. This ground has been accepted by this Court and by order dated 28.10.2025, this Court has directed the respondents to conduct fresh physical efficiency test for the candidates, who have approached the Court. The petitioner has also been rejected only on the ground that he has not been completed the 5 kilometers running race, within the stipulated time of 24 minutes. Therefore, in the strength of the order passed by this Court in WP.Nos.33420 of 2025 and etc., batch, the petitioner has approached this Court.

3. The learned Senior Central Government Standing Counsel appearing for the respondents submitted that the petitioner challenges the rejection order in the Physical Efficiency Test (PET) conducted on 26.08.2025 and seeks a direction for conducting a fresh PET, relying upon the order of the Principal Seat dated 28.10.2025 in W.P.Nos.33420 of 2025 batch. However, in the common order dated 28.10.2025, this Court has directed to conduct fresh PET/PST only for those petitioners who had completed 13 laps (male) or 4 laps (female) during the recruitment held between 20.08.2025-03.09.2025. Pursuant to the said order, the Department conducted fresh PET on 22.12.2025 for all the eligible petitioners in that batch. Results have already been published, and appointment orders are scheduled to be issued in the forthcoming Rojgar Mela. The present petitioner has approached this Court after more than 4 months from the date of his disqualification, ie., 26.08.2025. He did not join the earlier batch of writ petitions, nor did he challenge the rejection contemporaneously. Entertaining such belated petitions at this stage will seriously prejudice the recruitment process, which has already reached the stage of appointment. Recruitment to CRPFs is a time-bound national process involving thousands of candidates. If late petitions are entertained after completion of PET, medical, and publication of results, it will open floodgates for similarly placed candidates who failed to qualify. The earlier batch of writ petitions was entertained as candidates had immediately challenged their rejection slips and were within the recruitment cycle. The present petitioner, having remained silent and approached belatedly, cannot claim parity with those petitioners. Therefore, he prayed for dismissal of this writ petition.

4. This Court has considered the submissions made on either side and perused the available materials on record.

5. The petitioner has been selected in the written test and has also been allowed to participate in the physical efficiency test. The persons, who have participated in the physical efficiency test, must complete 5 kilometers running race in 24 minutes. The petitioner has completed this 5 kilometers running race in 24 minutes and 21 seconds. In the same selection process, similarly affected other candidates have filed a batch of writ petitions taking a plea that the ground, in which, race was conducted, was filled with M-sand, due to the stagnation of rain water and it was slippery and therefore, they could not achieve the targeted time of 24 minutes. This contention of the similarly affected candidates has been accepted by this Court, by an order dated 28.10.2025, as under:-

                   20.Though the running track was filled with M-sand, there was slipperiness and mud. At a time, if 50 or 100 candidates were directed to run, there will be pushing and pulling of each other, and there will be clashes due to the slippery and wet ground. Therefore, they had to run one by one, and as such, the race was not conducted on a standard ground. As per the guidelines, Clause 6.4(xvii), the respondents must ensure to provide a suitable ground for the race. On seeing the videograph, it reveals that the ground in which the PET was conducted was not suitable for the race, since there was rain due to which there was water stagnation. Therefore, the petitioners who failed to complete the race of 5000 meters within the stipulated time can be given one more opportunity.

                   21.Insofar as the PST is concerned, on perusal of the records produced by the petitioners, it is revealed that some of the petitioners who had participated in the recruitment for the very same post had their height measured and were qualified in the PET. Further, now their height is not qualified. Even according to the respondents, during the last recruitment process, the height was measured manually. This time, digital equipment was used to measure the height of the candidates. Therefore, there is a difference. Though the PST rejection slip provides for an appeal before the Appellate Authority on the same day, the appeals made by the petitioners were not considered by the respondents. Therefore, the petitioners who were not qualified in the PST may also be given one more opportunity for PST.

                   22.In view of the above, the impugned PST and PET rejection slips cannot be sustained and are liable to be quashed. Accordingly, the impugned orders in these writ petitions are hereby quashed, and this Court issues the following directions:-

                   (i) The respondents are directed to conduct a fresh PST and PET for the male petitioners who had completed 13 laps in the PET conducted from 20.08.2025 to 03.09.2025.

                   (ii) The respondents are directed to conduct a fresh PST and PET for female petitioners who completed 4 laps in the PET from 20.08.2025 to 03.09.2025.

                   (iii) The respondents are directed to conduct a fresh PST for the petitioners who challenged the PST rejection slip alone.

                   (iv) It is made clear that the petitioners who had not completed 13 laps in the male category and 4 laps in the female category are not eligible for a fresh PET for the post of Constable (GD) in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and SSF, Rifleman (GD) in Assam Rifles, and Sepoy in the Narcotics Control Bureau - Examination 2025.

                   (v) It is also made clear that the fresh PST and PET shall be conducted after completion of the rainy season, following the guidelines, and the respondents must ensure to provide suitable grounds for the race.

                   (vi) The respondents shall conduct the PST with approved digital machinery to measure the correct height of the petitioners.

                   (vii) It is made clear that the respondents are directed to verify those who were issued PST/PET rejection slips with their records, and only those who challenged the rejection slip before this Court are permitted to go for a fresh PST/PET.

                   23.In the result, these Writ Petitions are allowed as indicated above. Consequently, the connected Miscellaneous Petitions are closed. No costs.

6. This Court has also verified as to the compliance of the order passed by this Court dated 28.10.2025. The learned Senior Central Government Standing Counsel has fairly conceded that they have complied with the order by conducting a fresh recruitment process for those candidates, who have availed the above order. However, he has disputed the petitioner’s request on the ground of delay and that the candidates have already been filled up.

7. The petitioner’s candidature has been rejected only on the ground that this petitioner has not completed the running race within the stipulated time of 24 minutes. The petitioner has, in fact, completed the running race in 24:21 minutes. The persons who have not completed in similar manner have already been granted benefits by this Court. Considering the nature of the ground, in which the running race was conducted, benefit has to be extended to this petitioner also. The respondents while complying the orders of this Court in WP.Nos.33420 of 2025 and etc., batch, in all fairness, ought to have conducted a fresh physical efficiency test to all those candidates, who have been similarly rejected like that of the petitioner. However, such fairness has not been provided by the respondents and therefore, this Court is inclined to set aside the impugned order.

8. Accordingly, the order impugned in this writ petition dated 26.08.2025 and 30.12.2025 is set aside with a direction to the respondents to conduct the physical efficiency test afresh to the petitioner, in a proper manner and it shall also be vidographed. Let this exercise be completed within a period of one week from the date of receipt of a copy of this order.

9. In the result, this writ petition is allowed. No costs. Consequently, connected miscellaneous petitions are closed.