PESHAWAR: A candidate has challenged in Peshawar High Court the `unreasonable and burdensome` examination schedule for the civil judges/judicial magistrate/Ilaga qazi exams, conducted by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Public Service Commission (KPPSC).

The candidate, Wahid Khan, filed a petition stating that the exam schedule (April 15-18, 2025) was excessive, unfair, and a clear deviation from past practices, as it required the candidates to appear in two lengthy papers per day, leaving little time for preparation and rest.

The petition is filed through advocate Nouman Muhib Kakakhel.

The petitioner stated that historically, judicial competitive exams had followed a one-paper-perday format, ensuring fairness and allowing candidates to perform optimally.

He stated that the new schedule, however, compressed multiple subjects into a single day, making it extremely challenging for aspirants to give their best effort.

The petition highlighted that each paper covered multiple legal disciplines, making it impossible to adequately prepare for back-to-back papers.

He stated that other competitive exams, such as that of additional district and sessions judges, PMS (Provincial Management Service) and CSS (Central Superior Services) provided sufficient intervals between papers, ensuring a fair chance for all candidates.

He contended that the Supreme Court of Pakistan had ruled in one of its judgments of 2017 that mental well-being and fair opportunity in public exams were protected under Article 9 of the Constitution.

The petitioner contended that the unprecedented exam schedule violated the fundamental rights of candidates as guaranteed by different articles of the Constitution of Pakistan including Article 4, 9 and 25.

He stated that Article 9 guaranteed tight to life, which also included mental well-being and a fair chance in public exams.

Similarly, he stated that Article 25 guaranteed right to equality. He added that candidates for exam of civil judges were being treated unfairly as compared to other competitive exams. Bureau Report