In a significant judicial update, the Supreme Court of India has narrowed the scope of its recent order granting age‑relaxation relief for the Rajasthan Sub‑Inspector (SI) / Platoon Commander Recruitment Examination 2025. The judiciary’s revised directive makes the relief applicable only to the original petitioner, Suraj Mal Meena, rather than all over‑age aspirants who sought to appear in the exam despite age‑limit restrictions.
Top Court Revises Its Order on Age Relaxation for Rajasthan SI
The apex court, in a 3 April 2026 Good Friday sitting, reviewed its earlier judgment issued on 2 April 2026, which had broadly permitted candidates affected by age limits to provisionally take the Rajasthan SI exam. However, after hearing a submission from the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) regarding operational challenges, the bench — comprising Justices Dipankar Datta and Satish Chandra Sharma — curtailed the relief The bench agreed with the commission’s contention that including a large pool of over‑age candidates would disrupt logistics, as more than 7.7 lakh candidates had already been registered for the exam, scheduled across 1,173 centres in 41 cities.
What the Modified Order Means?
Under the revised order:
- Only the petitioner, Suraj Mal Meena, is permitted to appear in the April 5‑6, 2026 Rajasthan SI exam.
- The expanded relief initially meant for 713 over‑age candidates has now been limited only to those who directly approached the Supreme Court.
- Aspirants who did not file a petition for relief before the court are not entitled to benefit from the order.
The top court reaffirmed that the examination schedule will remain unchanged, ensuring that the recruitment process continues without disruption.
Background of the Rajasthan SI Exam Dispute
The controversy stems from the Rajasthan SI recruitment process initiated in 2021, which was later mired in legal challenges due to alleged irregularities and a paper leak. The Rajasthan High Court had varied orders regarding age relaxation and the cancellation of the 2021 recruitment cycle, leaving many aspirants in uncertainty. Earlier, the Supreme Court had granted provisional relief allowing over‑age candidates affected by earlier age‑limit criteria to take the recruitment exam. This relief, however, has now been limited in scope after interventions from the RPSC, which highlighted administrative difficulties in accommodating a sudden influx of additional examinees.
Implications for Rajasthan SI Aspirants
The modification of the relief order means that most over‑age candidates who hoped to benefit from the court’s earlier direction will not be able to sit for the Rajasthan SI exam unless they have individually approached the court. Eligible aspirants who are unhappy with this outcome may pursue further legal recourse or await the Rajasthan High Court’s pending judgment related to age relaxation in the recruitment process. Despite the legal developments, the RPSC SI recruitment exam will go ahead as scheduled on 5 and 6 April 2026, with thousands of candidates expected to appear for the test across the state.