UMARO SINGH Vs. PUNJABI UNIVERSITY PATIALA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Leave granted.

(2.) In these appeals challenge is to the judgment rendered by a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court holding that the selection of the appellants for the post of Lecturers in the Department of Defence and Strategic studies was illegal.

(3.) The factual background in a nuthsell is as follows: punjabi University, Patiala through its registrar issued an advertisement in the newspapers on July 25, 2002 vide which various posts of Readers as well as Lecturers for different departments were advertised. Three posts of Lecturers in the Department of Defence and strategic Studies were advertised. The last date for receipt of applications from eligible persons was indicated as August 12, 2002. Through a corrigendum later on, the last date for receipt of the applications was extended up to September 16, 2002. As per the rules and regulations of the respondent-University, the eligible conditions for applying to the post of Lecturer in the University are as follows:" (a) The basic qualification for the post of Lecturers is MA in defence Strategic Studies and eligibility test for the Lecturership conducted/accredited by UGC. (b) The candidates who have completed M. Phil degree by 31st Dec. 1993 or have submitted Ph. D. Thesis to the University in the concerned subject before 31st Dec. 2002 are exempted from appearing the NET/set examination conducted by the UGC. (c) As per the advertisement the candidate must have passed Punjabi in Matriculation examination or have passed Punjabi Prabodh or punjabi Praveshika Examination. Candidates belonging to States other than Punjab or Union Territory Chandigarh, who have not passed Punjabi at Matric level are required to pass Punjabi Prabodh examination from language Department, Punjab Patiala before appearing for interview. "