VIDHUN.M Vs. STATE OF KERALA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioners are applicants in OA (Ekm) Nos.2267/2018 and 260/2019 of the Kerala Administrative Tribunal, who had applied for the post of Assistant Professor in various branches in the Technical Education Department. Annexure A16 is the ranked list published by KPSC with reference to the petitioners in OA(Ekm) No.2267/2018. The objection raised by the petitioners is with reference to a formula adopted in giving credit to academic marks. The specific contention is that credit points are awarded by different Universities in different formats. In respect of premium institutes like IIT and NIT, credit marks are given adopting a different formula. Therefore, the contention of the petitioners is that if a uniform formula is taken into consideration for the purpose of arriving at the marks based on credit points obtained in their academic career, it will render substantial injustice to persons like the petitioners.

(2.) KPSC took up a contention that academic marks are considered for preparation of the ranked list for various teaching posts except in medical education department as per circular No.7/2017 dated 3/6/2017. According to them, the basis of selecting a candidate to the above post depends upon marks obtained in the written test plus credit marks for academic excellence which is out of 30 and marks obtained during interview. 7 marks is awarded as weightage for non qualifying degrees. According to them, this procedure is adopted in accordance with Clause 339 of the Public Service Commission Office Manual and Rule 11(ii) of the Public Service Commission Rules of Procedure. The Tribunal after considering the respective contentions and having placed reliance on a Division Bench judgment of this Court in Sajan N.Menon v. State of Kerala (2007 (4) KLT 126) upheld the method adopted by the KPSC and rejected the contentions of the petitioners.

(3.) We heard the learned counsel appearing for the petitioners as well as the learned Senior Government Pleader and the learned Standing Counsel for KPSC.