MALI RAM HINDALA Vs. STATE OF RAJASTHAN

JUDGEMENT

(1.) These petitions arising out of similar facts have been heard together and are being disposed of by this common judgment. For convenience facts may be noted from Civil Writ Petition No.307/2021. The grievance of the petitioners is that the State Government has not followed the UGC guidelines contained in its Regulations dtd. 18/7/2018 in relation to the recruitment for the post of Assistant Professor advertised by the Rajasthan State Public Service Commission on 18/12/2020.

(2.) The petitioners seek appointment on the post of Assistant Professor Botany or Zoology as the case may be. They point out that earlier regulations of UGC called UGC Regulations on Minimum Qualifications For Appointment Of Teachers and Other Academic Staff in Universities And Colleges and Measures For the Maintenance of Standards in Higher Education, 2010 (hereinafter to be referred as ..the UGC Regulations of 2010..) recognised only Master..s degree in the relevant subject as the eligibility condition. The UGC however superseded these UGC Regulations of 2010 by UGC Regulations on Minimum Qualifications For Appointment Of Teachers and Other Academic Staff in Universities And Colleges and Measures For the Maintenance of Standards in Higher Education, 2018 (hereinafter to be referred as ..the UGC Regulations of 2018..) which were promulgated vide notification dtd. 18/7/2018. In such regulations, for the post of Assistant Professor eligibility criteria laid down. Relevant portion of which reads as under:-

(3.) The petitioners would thus point out that under the UGC Regulations of 2018 the eligibility criteria for appointment to the post of Assistant Professor by way of direct recruitment is Master..s degree with 55% marks or equivalent in concerned/relevant/allied subject from an Indian or an accredited foreign university. This is in contrast to the previous UGC Regulations of 2010 where the Master..s degree in relevant subject alone was recognised as essential eligibility criteria. Thus, the UGC Regulations of 2018 expand the eligibility criteria from the candidates holding Masters Degree in relevant subjects to all candidates holding Masters Degree in concerned/relevant/allied subjects. This would essentially widen the zone of consideration and make the competition for recruitment more stiff.