[Cites 1, Cited by 0]
Delhi High Court
Krishan Murari Meena vs Union Of India & Ors on 25 February, 2026
Author: V. Kameswar Rao
Bench: V. Kameswar Rao, Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora
$~65
* IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI
% Date of Decision : 25.02.2026
+ W.P.(C) 2638/2026 CM APPL. 12830/2026
KRISHAN MURARI MEENA .....Petitioner
Through: Mr. Manu Beri, Mr. Raunek Raheja
and Ms. Kudrat Mann, Advs.
versus
UNION OF INDIA & ORS. .....Respondents
Through: Mr. Nishant Gautam, CGSC, Ms.
Kavya Shukla, Mr. Vineet Negi, Mr.
Naman Sharma and Ms. Theresa,
Advs.
Mr. Ravinder Agarwal, Mr. Manish
Kumar Singh and Mr. Vasu Agarwal,
Advs. for R-2/UPSC
Mr. Vinay Kaushik, Government
Pleader
CORAM:
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE V. KAMESWAR RAO
HON'BLE MS. JUSTICE MANMEET PRITAM SINGH ARORA
V. KAMESWAR RAO , J. (ORAL)
1. This petition has been filed with the following prayers:
"A. Issue a Writ in the nature of Mandamus or any other
appropriate writ to Respondents, order or direction, setting aside
the disqualification of the Petitioner from Physical Standards
Test (PST)/ Physical Efficiency Test (PET) in for the recruitment
process of Central Armed Police Forces (Assistant Commandant)
Examination-2025;
B. Issue directions to the Respondents allowing the petitioner to
appear in further rounds of selection process;
C. Pass any such other orders as this Hon'ble Court may deem
fit in the facts and circumstances of the case."
2. In effect, the challenge in this petition by the petitioner is to the
rejection of his candidature in the Physical Standard Test (PST) in the
recruitment process of Central Armed Police Forces (Assistant
Commandant) Examination-2025 on the ground that his height is 164.7 cm
and not 165 cm, the required height.
3. Learned counsel for the petitioner has drawn our attention to the order
passed by this Court in W.P.(C) 18334/2025 in Priyanshu Raj v. Union of
India & Ors. at Annexure P-7 (at running page no. 73) wherein this Court
had considered an identical issue and by referring to the General Instructions
for Recruitment Board in paragraph 10 of the said order, granted the relief to
the petitioner therein. The paragraph 10 is reproduced as under: -
"10. Petitioner has relied upon Clause 2(d) of the General
instructions for Recruitment Board issued by the Government of
India, Ministry of Home Affairs on 20.05.2015 to contend that the
said Guideline permits rounding off the height to the next higher
centimetre and therefore the petitioner's height which is 164.6 cm
ought to be rounded off to 165 cm at the stage of PST. The said
Guideline as relevant is extracted hereinbelow:
'"2. GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR RECRUITMENT BOARD:
d) Measurement of physical standards viz. height, weight, and chest
is the responsibility of the PST Board (PST Board) for all categories
of candidates i.e GOs, SOs and Ors. Medical Officers will not be
part of PST board both for Male & Female candidates. Since
presence of a female is required at the time of recording of physical
standard (PST), a female non-medical staff may be associated with
PST board. Recruiting medical officer need not record to physical
measurements. Recruiting medical officer will mention physical
standard in the medical examination form as recorded by the PST
board. In borderline cases of overweight, BMI should also be
considered to arrive at conclusion and variation of 5Kg +/- from the
minimum/maximum limit may be accepted. Similarly, while
measuring height fraction of cm less that 0.5 will be ignored and
0.5 cm & more will be rounded off to the next higher cm. Standard
height weight chart is attached as Annexure I'
[Emphasis Supplied]"
4. The submission of the learned counsel for the petitioner is that the
petitioner's case is covered in terms of the General Instructions inasmuch as
the height of the petitioner having been measured at 164.7 cm, the same has
to be rounded off to the next higher cm which is 165 cm. In that sense, he
shall meet the eligibility condition.
5. We also reproduce paragraph 14 of the order passed by this Court in
Priyanshu Raj v. Union of India & Ors. (supra) wherein we have stated as
under:
"14. In addition, the Manual of Medical Examination and
Medical Standards for various entries into Army, TRG Academies
and MIL Schools, which is an appendix to DGMS (Army) letter
76054/policy/DGMS-5A dated 16.07.2019 has come to our
attention while hearing proceedings in a different writ petition.
The said Manual at Section 2 provides for Anthropometric
Standards for measurement of height, weight and chest
circumference of the candidates. The method of recording the
measurement of the height is set out at paragraph 48 (a), which
reads as under:
Method of Examination.
48. The three basic measurements which are required to
be carried out for all candidates are height, weight and
chest circumference. In certain instances two more
measurements, namely waist circumference and hip
circumference, may be required for further assessment. In
order to standardize these measurements, the recruiting
equipment (weighing scales, anthropometric rods and tape
measures) must be procured centrally and provided to all
establishments. The method of recording these
measurements is given below;-
(a) Height. The measurement of height requires a
vertical board with an attached metric rule and a
horizontal headboard that can be brought into
contact with the uppermost point of the head. The
individual to be measured should be bare foot and
wearing little clothing so that the positioning of
the body can be seen. He/she should stand on a
flat surface, with weight distributed evenly on
both feet, knees straight, heels together and the
head positioned so that the line of vision is
perpendicular to the body. The arms should hang
freely by the side and the head, back, buttocks
and heels are in contact with the vertical board.
The Individual is asked to inhale deeply and
maintain a fully erect position. The movable
headboard is brought onto the topmost point on
the head with sufficient pressure to compress the
hair. The height is recorded to the nearest cm.
The said paragraph 48 (a) as well notes that the height of
the candidate is to be recorded to the nearest centimeter (cm).
This is the standard prescribed by DGMS in the Manual for
the medical teams, who have to undertake the examination of the
candidates for these measurements. The said paragraph 48 (a)
also supports the contentions canvassed by the Petitioner and
applying the said method as well the Petitioner was entitled to
rounding off to 165 cm at the stage of PST."
6. A perusal of the paragraph 14 quoted above also reveals that
paragraph 48(a) notes that the height of the candidate is to be recorded to the
nearest centimetre.
7. If that be so, appropriate is for the respondents to decide the case of
the petitioner on the basis of the judgment rendered by us and as referred to,
above and pass a detailed and a speaking order within a period of two weeks
from today.
8. If the decision is in favour of the petitioner, he shall be allowed to
appear in PET, the next stage. Thereafter, the parties shall proceed in
accordance with law/the recruitment notification.
9. The petition is disposed of. Pending application is disposed of.
V. KAMESWAR RAO, J
MANMEET PRITAM SINGH ARORA, J
FEBRUARY 25, 2026/msh
