GULBIR SINGH SHASTRI Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioner complains that the Director of Public Instructions has arbitrarily refused to approve his appointment on the post of Sanskrit Teacher. Is it so ? A few facts may be noticed.

(2.) The petitioner passed the Shastri examination in July 1983. He then qualified the Acharya Part II Examination from the Panjab University on August 25, 1986. Thereafter, he passed the Shiksha Shastri examination in September 1992. On this basis, the petitioner claims to have the qualification of M.A. Sanskrit with Shiksha Shastri which is, according to him, equivalent to B.Ed.

(3.) In April 1993, Arya High School, Phagwara, advertised certain posts of Sanskrit Teachers. The petitioner applied. He was selected. Vide letter dated nil, which appears to have been issued on July 12, 1993, the petitioner was offered appointment as a Sanskrit teacher. His case was sent for approval to the Department of Education. On August 9, 1994, the Director of Public Instructions informed the District Education Officer that "approval cannot be granted in respect of grant-in-aid case of the employee who is working on the post of Sanskrit Teacher because of the required educational qualifications". A copy of this order has been produced as Annexure P-13 with the writ petition. Aggrieved by this order, the petitioner has filed this petition under Article 226 of the Constitution. The petitioner maintains that he fulfils the qualifications and prays that the order passed by the Director be quashed.