Degrees Don't Wait: Court Upholds Govt.'s Stand on Job Qualification.
The Karnataka High Court has ruled in favor of the government in a case challenging the eligibility of a candidate for a public service position. The candidate, identified as Anant Ramanath Hegde, had applied for the post of Assistant Controller in the State Accounts Department.
Facts:
Hegde's application was rejected because he did not possess the required Master's degree at the time of application. Though he later obtained the degree, the High Court upheld the government's decision, stating that eligibility is determined as of the application date. Hegde challenged the rejection of his application before the Karnataka State Administrative Tribunal (KSTA Tribunal). The Tribunal ruled in Hegde's favor, directing the government to consider his candidacy. However, the government disagreed and appealed to the High Court.
The Court's Reasoning:
The High Court, in its judgment, highlighted that the notification inviting applications clearly specified a Master's degree as a mandatory qualification. The court further noted that Hegde neither completed the course nor appeared for the required semester exam at the time of applying. The Court emphasized that allowing candidates to qualify after the deadline would disrupt the fairness of the recruitment process and disadvantage those who met the criteria on time. Hegde's argument that COVID-19 disruptions affected his ability to complete the degree on time was also rejected by the Court. The Court pointed out that the lockdown only began in March 2020, while the application deadline was in March 2020 itself. Additionally, Hegde could not demonstrate that his final semester exam was scheduled before the application deadline and postponed due to the pandemic.
Conclusion:
The High Court allowed the government's writ petition, setting aside the KSTA Tribunal's order. Hegde's application to participate in the interview process was ultimately dismissed.