S. BASKAR Vs. SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT OF TAMIL NADU, MUNICIPAL ADMINISTRATION AND WATER SUPPLY DEPARTMENT

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This writ petition has been filed for direction directing the respondents to receive the application of the petitioners for the post of Assistant Engineer (Planning) (Corporation) and Town Planning Officer Grade-II/Assistant Engineer (Planning) (Municipality) as per recruitment notification No.01/DMA/Recruitment/2024 dtd. 2/2/2024.

(2.) The petitioners are qualified with Masters Degree in Planning. Now it has been changed as Masters of Planning (M.Plan). It is a two year P.G. Degree course and it has been in the curriculum for several years in Tamilnadu. The Anna University and two other colleges offer this course and it is now called M.Plan. In order to join M.Plan, one must have passed the UG degree as mentioned as follows:

(3.) However, the UG Degree in B Plan i.e., Bachelor of Planning Course was not the curriculum in several states, including Tamilnadu. The said course was introduced only in the year 2022. It is being a four years course, the first batch of students will come out only in the year 2026 to pass the degree of B Plan. As far as the petitioners are concerned, they are qualified with M Plan after completion of their U.G Degree from B.E.Civil/B.Arch/M.A/M.Sc., (Geography), (Economics), (Sociology) or (Social Work). The Tamilnadu Municipal Town Planning Service Rules 1970 in which amendment was brought in the year 1998. The Service consisting the following categories of officers.