DHRUBASHKARAN Vs. OSMANIA UNIVERSITY

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This is an application filed by the petitioner, Dr. Dhrubashkaran, to call for the records pertaining to the selection to the post of Readers in Botany made on 16-4-1976, which was approved by the University Syndicate in its resolution dated 24-8-1976, and to quash the same and also to give a direction that the petitioner was entitled to be promoted to the post of Reader with effect from 7-11-1975 with all consequential benefits.

(2.) The facts giving rise to the writ petition are as follows:

(3.) On February. 1970, the Osmania University authorities constituted a Selection Committee for selection of candidates for promotion to the post of Readers in Botany and other subjects. The qualifications prescribed for the post of Reader were that the candidate should possess five years teaching experience and a Ph.D. Degree as on 1-4-1969. As the petitioner was awarded the Ph.D. Degree in November, 1969, he was called for the interview. The petitioner made a representation that he had submitted his thesis for the Ph. D. Degree on 31-12-1968 and he was awarded the Ph. D. Degree in November, 1969 and, that, be should be treated as having obtained the Ph. D. Degree with effect from the date he submitted his thesis. He also made further representations. He was informed on 29-3-1972 by the University authorities that as many as eight Readers were in surplus in the Botany Department and that there were no vacancies and hence his case could be considered for promotion to the post of Reader, at its 185th meeting held on 21-7-197, the University Syndicate authorised the Vice-Chancellor to appoint a Sub-Committee to review all 'hard cases' for promotion to Readership and look into the anomalies, if any and put up their recommendations to the University Syndicate. On 10-1-1974 the Sub-Committee of the Syndicate recommended teachers with a Doctorate Degree with ten years of teaching experience in the University to appear before the Selection Committee to determine their suitability for promotion to Readership and also made other recommendations, which are relevant for the purpose of this case. While so, the Osmania University Teachers' Association made a representation to the Vice-Chancellor that there was a great dissatisfaction among the teachers with regard to the change of conditions laid down for internal promotions to Readership. Thereupon, at its 208th meeting held on 23-9 1974, the University Syndicate resolved R-6 that the Syndicate Sub-Committee should examine the cases of promotion to Readership. At its meeting held on 1-10-1975, the Syndicate Subcommittee passed a resolution fixing the criteria for evaluating the eligibility of teachers for purposes of promotion. With regard to promotion to the post of Reader, the resolution prescribed the following qualifications: