The Supreme Court has stayed the recruitment process of a weightlifting coach by the Sports Authority of Goa, following a plea by a woman candidate alleging bias in the selection process. The top court’s bench of Justices Pankaj Mithal and KV Viswanathan also issued notice on the petition, which challenged a Bombay High Court order allowing the recruitment to continue as scheduled.
The petitioner claimed that her former coach, against whom she had earlier filed a harassment complaint, was part of the panel evaluating her performance in the selection tests. Based on this conflict of interest, she had approached the Goa government, which decided to reconduct the physical and skill tests. However, the Bombay High Court later quashed this decision and directed the authorities to continue with the final written test.
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"Despite performing admirably in the Skill Test, the Petitioner was arbitrarily awarded only 17.5% marks, deliberately below the qualifying threshold… This blatant discrimination clearly stemmed from personal bias," – Petitioner’s plea to Supreme Court.
The recruitment, advertised in February 2024, consisted of three stages – physical fitness test, skill/practical test, and written exam. Both the petitioner and Respondent No.4 had cleared the physical round. However, the petitioner alleged irregularities in the conduct of the test, favouring the other candidate. She also pointed out that the tests were videographed, which could help establish the alleged discrimination.
In the skill test, she was disqualified with 17.5% marks, while Respondent No.4 qualified with 23.5%. Later, she discovered that one of the examiners was her ex-coach – a bodybuilding and Tug of War trainer with no formal certification in weightlifting. She alleged this person had mentally harassed her during training in the past.
"The said examiner… was not only unqualified but also the petitioner’s ex-coach, who subjected her to mental harassment during training, leading to suspension of her practice for a year," – Petitioner’s submission.
Following her representation, the Goa government paused the recruitment and decided to reconduct the tests with neutral evaluators. However, Respondent No.4 challenged this move in the High Court, which ruled in his favour without making the petitioner a party to the case. The court allowed the final written test to be conducted on June 26.
"Merely because a complaint has been made by an unsuccessful candidate, it is evidently clear that he (respondent No.4) is being kept out of participation in the written test scheduled on 26.06.2025," – Bombay High Court observation.
Appearance: AoR SS Rebello and Advocates Pradosh Dangui, Kritika (for petitioner)
Case Title: VAISHNAVI S. UGADEKAR Versus THE STATE OF GOA AND ORS., Diary No. 35054-2025
