SARBMOHAN SINGH Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB AND OTHERS

JUDGEMENT

(1.) In this petition the petitioner is challenging the order of Punjab Public Service Commission (in short the PPSC) vide which PPSC refused to call him for interview for appointment to the post of Head of the Department/Senior Lecturer in Pharmacy.

(2.) In brief, the facts are that the petitioner obtained degree in Bachelor of Pharmacy from Panjab University in the year 1981. He obtained degree in Master of Pharmacy in Pharmaceutical Chemistry in 1988 from the same University. He was appointed Lecturer in Pharmacy in Government Technical College, Bathinda in 1988. On selection by the PPSC, he was regularly appointed as such in the year 1991. PPSC vide advertisement dated 13.4.1991, advertised three posts of Heads of the Department and Senior Lecturers. Minimum qualification prescribed for these posts was Master of Pharmacy and 5 years' teaching experience after acquiring the minimum qualification out of which two years had to be in teaching not below the post of Lecturer. Subsequently, PPSC issued a corrigendum changing 5 years. Petitioner who did his Bachelor of Pharmacy and Master of Pharmacy and also possessed 5 years' teaching experience out of which two years' teaching experience on the post of Lecturer applied through proper channel for the post of Head of Department as well as Senior Lecturer as qualifications for both the posts were the same. However, the petitioner was not called for interview by the PPSC on the ground that he had not acquired the requisite experience after acquiring the minimum qualification. To this effect, the PPSC issued two letters dated 26.7.1991. Annexures P-10 and P-11 respectively which are now being impugned here in the writ petition.

(3.) Mr. Amarjit Singh, Advocate, counsel for the petitioner contended that for the purpose of appointment of Head of Department/Senior Lecturer in Pharmacy, the minimum qualification is Bachelor of Pharmacy and, therefore, experience has to be reckoned from the year the petitioner passed his B. Pharmacy. He has made reference to the minimum qualification laid down for these posts by the Pharmaceutical Council of India.