SHIWANG TRIPATHI Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The 97 petitioners, who are working as accounts apprentices with the respondent no.2 company/National Insurance Company Limited, having been appointed pursuant to the selection conducted in terms of an advertisement issued on 1/11/2018, have approached this Court seeking a direction to the said respondent to regularize their services as Administrative Officer (Scale I) with all service and consequential benefits, including seniority.

(2.) The brief factual matrix as necessary for adjudication of the petition may be noted hereinbelow.

(3.) Upon an advertisement being issued by the respondent no.2 on 1/11/2018 for recruitment of 150 accounts apprentices on "All-India" basis, the petitioners have applied for the said post. The advertisement, besides specifying the eligibility conditions for recruitment, also provided that the period of apprenticeship would be two years (twenty-four months), which period was extendable at the discretion of the respondent company. The selected apprentices were to be paid a stipend of Rs.25,000.00 per month (all inclusive) and medical coverage in the first year, and Rs.30,000.00 per month (all inclusive) along with medical coverage in the second year. All the selected candidates were required to furnish an apprentice bond undertaking therein that if they were to leave the services of the respondent company within one year, they would be liable to pay the bond amount of Rs.1.00 lakh (Rupees One Lakh) to the said company.