M. BALAKRISHNAN NAIR Vs. STATE OF KERALA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Some of the petitioners in these original petitions were students who had undergone the technical education under the High School level. They have passed the THSLC and have applied for admission to Polytechnics in the various institutions in the State. For admission to Polytechnics the holders of THSLC were given 20% reservation during the previous year. In the prospectus issued for this year the reservation to the THSLC holders has been limited to 10% for admission to Polytechnics.

(2.) The Technical High School Course is for three years and after the passing of the examination they are given Technical High School Leaving Certificate (THSLC). This is equivalent to the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC). The technical high schools in the State were established in the year 1957. The course was intended to give training to students in some skilled work. After the passing of THSLC course, they can pursue their studies either by joining polytechnics or the colleges. There are 16 polytechnics institutions in the State established by the Government. There are about 11 institutions established by Private Institutions. Admission to 70% of the seats in the private institutions are controlled by the Government, There were about 4540 seats in the previous year. Eight technical high schools have now been converted in to Polytechnics. So there is an increase of about 800 seats in the Polytechnics from this year onwards. In the previous year 20% of the Polytechnics seats were reserved for THSLC holders and by Ext. P2 prospectus (in O. P. 9588/94) this reservation has been reduced to 10%. The petitioners challenge this reduction on various grounds.

(3.) According to the petitioners, THSLC holders are students who have undergone specialist training in various skilled work and because of this vocational training they are unfit to join the regular colleges to pursue further studies. It is contended that in THSLC course importance and emphasis are being given to the specialist training, so they are not proficient in regular arts and sciences subjects. Therefore, it is contended that they are unfit or handicapped in competing with regular students and therefore, they have to be given preferential treatment in the matter of admission to Polytechnics.