The Primary Teacher Selection Test 2025 in Madhya Pradesh has become embroiled in a major controversy. The hearing in the Jabalpur High Court on the alleged awarding of 5 per cent bonus marks to ineligible candidates has concluded, and the court has reserved its decision. This recruitment process was conducted for 13,089 posts, but now the entire merit list is under scrutiny. The petitioners have alleged that, as per the terms of the recruitment advertisement, 5 per cent bonus marks were only available to candidates with a diploma in special education accredited by the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI). Despite this, approximately 14,964 candidates were awarded these bonus marks in the selection list. However, according to official data, the total number of registered candidates on the RCI portal in the State is significantly lower, raising questions about eligibility on such a large scale.

 

The Directorate of Public Instruction expressed concern about the high number of candidates choosing the ‘yes’ option as early as January 2026. Despite this, neither RCI registration number was requested nor certificate verification was conducted. Bonus marks were awarded through software based solely on the candidates’ self-declarations. The petitioners claim that this lowered the merit of genuinely eligible candidates, leaving them out of the selection process. The merit list issued on February 27, 2026, be cancelled. A new list should be issued, awarding bonus marks only to valid RCI certificate holders. Some candidates have also approached the court in this case, admitting that they did not possess the relevant certificate, yet they mistakenly received the bonus marks. The final hearing in the case took place before a single bench of Justices. After the hearing, the court reserved its decision. Earlier, the court had also kept the merit list pending final decision.