DEEPAK YADAV vs UNION PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION — W.P.(C) No. 408/2021

Case Summary: Deepak Yadav & Ors. v. Union Public Service Commission Outcome: The Supreme Court allowed the writ petition and directed UPSC to permit five candidates (including four petitioners) to participate in the personality test/interview as a special case, exercising plenary power under Article 142 of the Constitution due to pandemic-related extraordinary circumstances. Key Issue: Petitioners' candidatures were cancelled for failing to submit degree certificates by the November 11, 2020 deadline, despite having appeared in final-year exams whose results were delayed due to Covid-19 lockdowns. They had qualified for the main exam (held January 2021) and subsequently obtained their degrees. Court's Direction: UPSC must allow these five candidates to participate in personality tests in their respective categories without disadvantaging already-empanelled candidates. The order was clarified as non-precedential, applying only to this extraordinary pandemic situation. This case analysis is maintained by casestatus.in based on publicly available court records.