**New Delhi, October 21, 2024** — The Supreme Court has declined to intervene in a plea seeking the postponement of the Telangana Group-1 Mains examination, scheduled to commence today. A bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud refused the request, citing that students had already arrived at exam centers, with the first paper slated to begin at 2 p.m.The petition, filed by candidate Pogula Rambabu, sought the postponement and cancellation of the exam due to concerns over unfair treatment of candidates. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the petitioner, argued that sudden changes in study materials and legal uncertainties caused by recent government orders were unfair to candidates. He emphasized that this was a rare opportunity to fill Group-1 posts, which had not been done for 14 years.However, the Supreme Court, while acknowledging the issues raised, ruled that delaying the exam at such short notice would cause significant disruption. CJI Chandrachud remarked, “How do we postpone the public service exam? It will be huge,” stressing the logistical challenges and disruption that a delay would cause.The court urged the Telangana High Court to expedite the hearing of the case before the exam results are declared, suggesting that the matter should ideally be resolved by November 20, 2024, when the case is set to be heard again. This would address the legal uncertainties before any final results are announced.The Telangana Group-1 Mains exams, which aim to fill 563 public service positions, have faced opposition from a section of candidates. These candidates, supported by opposition parties like the BRS and BJP, have been demanding postponement for several reasons, including:1. **Invalidation of Study Materials**: Just days before the exam, the Telangana State Public Service Commission (TSPSC) announced that widely-used Telugu Academy books, a crucial resource for many aspirants, were no longer valid. 2. **Legal Uncertainty Over Reservation Norms**: The implementation of Government Order (GO) 29 altered the reservation criteria, which disqualified some candidates who were previously eligible. The order has been criticized for undermining the constitutional rights of candidates regarding fair reservations.Despite these concerns, the Telangana government remains committed to conducting the exams as scheduled. The state’s legal representatives assured the court that the High Court will address the matter swiftly.The Group-1 Mains exams began today with the General English qualifying test.