SUDEEP BILGANIYA Vs. STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The present petition under Article 226 of Constitution of India is preferred by the petitioner seeking following reliefs:

(2.) It is the submission of learned counsel for the petitioner that he was pursuing M.Sc. (Agriculture) from Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwavidhyalay -respondent No.3 herein and completed his three semesters meritoriously. For final semester, due to COVID-19 pandemic situation University Grants Commission (UGC) and Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) in April, 2020 issued guidelines whereby period of submission of Thesis/Dissertation was extended for a period of six months. In pursuance thereof, respondent No.3 University extended the session till 30-12-2020 for submission of Thesis/Dissertation vide order dated 20-10-2020 (Annexure P/4).

(3.) Meanwhile, it appears that respondents No.1&2, after almost 8 to 10 years notified the advertisement vide Annexure P/1 for appointment on the post of Senior Agriculture Development Officer (SADO) and booklet issued by the M.P. Professional Examination Board (respondent No.2 herein) vide clause 2.2 referred the eligibility qualification as M.Sc. Agriculture at the time of submission of application. Since last date of submission of application under the advertisement was 24-11-2020 (examination was to be conducted between 10 th to 13-02-2021) and petitioner at that point of time did not have the requisite qualification of M.Sc. (Ag.) which he acquired slightly thereafter, therefore, petitioner had apprehension that he would not be found eligible for appearing in the examination because he completed his dissertation after 24-11-2020 but before 30- 12-2020 (as extended by the UGC and ICAR). Therefore, he applied on 19-11-2020 and prayed before the respondents to consider his application as valid one.