The Orissa High Court has directed the Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) to pay ₹1 lakh as compensation to an aspirant for a lapse in evaluating her answer scripts in the Odisha Judicial Service Examination.

Jyotirmayee Dutta, who appeared for the exam in September 2023, failed to qualify for the next stage—document verification and interview—by a margin of just five marks. She later challenged the evaluation process, leading to the court’s intervention.

After reviewing the case, the High Court found discrepancies in the assessment of her answer scripts and held the OPSC accountable for the error. In its ruling, the court emphasized the importance of a fair evaluation system and ordered the commission to compensate Dutta for the injustice caused.

The verdict has sparked discussions about the transparency of competitive examination processes, with aspirants and legal experts welcoming the court’s decision as a step toward ensuring accountability in recruitment exams.