WP(MD)/27847/2026 of Dinesh Vs The Registrar General on 1 October 2026

ORDER

(Order of the Court was made by the Hon'ble M.DHANDAPANI J.) Challenging the rejection order dated 06.04.2025 issued by the respondents, the petitioner has come forward with the present writ petition.

2. The learned counsel appearing for the petitioner would submit that the petitioner had duly participated in the written examination conducted pursuant to the recruitment notification. However, upon publication of the candidates list dated 06.04.2025, the petitioner’s candidature was rejected under the category “Possessing Higher Educational Qualification”. He would submit that the said rejection is wholly contrary to the actual educational qualification possessed by the petitioner as well as the terms and conditions of the recruitment notification. He would further submit that the petitioner possesses only Higher Secondary (+2) qualification and does not possess any degree, diploma or other higher educational qualification beyond the maximum qualification prescribed under the notification. Though the petitioner had joined B.A.English Course on 10.08.2022, he had not completed the said course and had discontinued the same on 02.01.2024. Thereafter, he had neither pursued the said course nor joined any other higher educational course.

3. The learned counsel for the petitioner would therefore submit that, as on the date of the recruitment notification and, more particularly, on the date of submission of the application, the petitioner was not pursuing any higher educational course and possessed only the completed Higher Secondary qualification. The mere fact that the petitioner had, at an earlier point of time, joined a Diploma in Teacher Training Course, which he subsequently discontinued long before the issuance of the recruitment notification, cannot be construed to mean that he was possessing a higher educational qualification. He would contend that there is a clear distinction between a candidate who has acquired and possesses a higher educational qualification and a candidate who had merely joined a higher course but did not complete the same and had discontinued it prior to the recruitment process. Therefore, the rejection of the petitioner’s candidature on the ground of possessing higher educational qualification is unsustainable and liable to be set aside.

4. The learned Standing Counsel appearing for the respondents would submit that this Court had earlier considered the very same issue in a batch of writ petitions in W.P.(MD) No.20293 of 2026 and other connected cases and, by order dated 10.09.2026, had elaborately dealt with the issue and laid down the principles governing the same. The relevant portion of the said order is extracted hereunder: “45. For the reasons aforesaid, all the writ petitions stand disposed of in the following terms :-

i) Persons/candidates, who joined the degree course but had discontinued the same prior to the completion of the course, their cases be considered by taking their maximum qualification as 12th standard pass;

ii) Persons/candidates, who joined the degree course and had been issued with the completion certificate and transfer certificate upon completion of the mandatory course period, their candidature shall be considered by the respondents subject to the condition that the said candidates have not completed all the arrear papers and the additional period under the UGC and AICTE guidelines has already come to an end on or before the date of issuance of notification;

iii) Persons/candidates who joined the degree course and had been issued with the course completion certificate and transfer certificate upon completion of the mandatory course period, their candidature shall not be considered by the respondent where the additional period provided vide the UGC and AICTE guidelines is yet to be over, as they would fall within the ambit of person pursuing the degree course.

iv) The cases of the other categories of persons/candidates shall be considered only on the basis of the clauses in the notification as the same stands affirmed by this Court.”

5. This Court has carefully considered the submissions on either side and perused the materials placed on record.

6. The issue involved in the present writ petition is no longer res integra. This Court, in a batch of cases in W.P.(MD) Nos.20293 of 2026 and other connected cases, by order dated 10.09.2026, has elaborately considered the very same issue and while disposing of the writ petitions, has specifically held that the cases of persons/candidates who had joined a degree course but had discontinued the same prior to completion of the course have to be considered by taking their maximum qualification as 12th standard pass. The relevant portion of the said order has already been extracted supra.

7. In the present case, it is not in dispute that the petitioner possesses Higher Secondary (+2) qualification. Though the petitioner had joined the B.A.English Course on 10.08.2022 admittedly, the petitioner did not complete the said course and had discontinued the same on 02.01.2024. It is also the specific case of the petitioner that, thereafter, he had neither pursued the said course nor joined any other higher educational course. Thus, as on the date of the recruitment notification and on the date of submission of the application, the petitioner had not acquired any higher educational qualification and was not pursuing the B.A.English Course.

8. Therefore, the facts of the present case squarely fall within the first category stipulated by this Court in the aforesaid order dated 10.09.2026, namely, “persons/candidates who had joined a higher course but had discontinued the same prior to completion of the course”. In terms of the said decision, their maximum qualification has to be taken as 12th standard pass.

9. In such circumstances, the mere fact that the petitioner had, at an earlier point of time, joined the B.A.English Course, which he admittedly discontinued on 02.01.2024, cannot by itself lead to the conclusion that the petitioner was possessing a higher educational qualification as on the relevant date as on facts, he was neither possessing nor pursuing any higher course. There is a material distinction between acquiring a higher educational qualification and merely joining a higher course without completing the same. Therefore, in the present case, the petitioner falls within the category contemplated in paragraph 45(i) of the order dated 10.09.2026.

10. However, this Court makes it clear that mere discontinuance of the course, by itself, is not sufficient to substantiate the petitioner’s claim that he possesses only a Higher Secondary qualification. The petitioner is required to establish the same by producing the relevant course discontinuation certificate and transfer certificate to establish that he is possessed only of a Higher Secondary qualification (+2 pass).

11. Accordingly, this writ petition stands disposed of in terms of the principle laid down by this Court in W.P.(MD) No.20293 of 2026 and other connected cases, dated 10.09.2026. The eligibility of the petitioner shall be determined based on the directions in the aforesaid order along with the documents that are submitted by the petitioner. There shall be no order as to costs. Consequently, the connected miscellaneous petition is closed. (M.DHANDAPANI J.) (N.DILIP KUMAR J.) 01-10-2026 PKN

To

1. The Registrar General, High Court of Madras High Court Buildings Chennai-600 104

2. The Registrar (Recruitment) High Court of Madras High Court Buildings Chennai-600 104

M.DHANDAPANI, J. and N.DILIP KUMAR, J. PKN W.P(MD)No.27847 of 2026 01.10.2026