Civil services 2025 batch in limbo as foundation course awaits SC hearing

The 958 candidates recommended by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for the 2025 Civil Services Examination are facing an extended period of uncertainty. Their service allocation and the start date of their foundation course, which was tentatively scheduled for late August, remain on hold as the Centre awaits a Supreme Court hearing on September 17.

Candidates have reported receiving no official communication from the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) or the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration regarding the next steps. The delay stems from the Centre's application to the Supreme Court seeking permission to proceed with service allocation without implementing the court's March 11 judgment in the Rohith Nathan case.

That ruling found that the DoPT was incorrectly excluding certain Other Backward Classes (OBC) candidates from reservation benefits by determining creamy layer status based solely on parents' salary income. The court directed corrective measures within six months. The CSE 2025 results were declared on March 6, just days before the judgment was delivered.

In its application, the Centre argued that applying the judgment's interpretation of the income test to the 2025 batch would be unfair and against the principles of natural justice. It noted that candidates applied and qualified under the pre-judgment understanding of the rules, and that the batch was expected to begin training by August-end.

Candidates, meanwhile, are watching the proceedings closely. One aspirant noted that no updates have appeared on the DoPT or academy websites, while another expressed the view that the government itself is waiting for the court's direction before proceeding with any allocation or training schedule.