WP/39043/2026 of Jai Surya.S Vs THE REGISTRAR GENERAL on 24 September 2026

Order

(Order of the Court was made by S.M.Subramaniam J.) The writ on hand has been instituted challenging the order rejecting the candidature of the petitioner for selection and appointment to the posts of Chobdar, Office Assistant, Residential Assistant and Room Boy in the Madras High Court Service pursuant to the recruitment notification dated 06.04.2025.

2. The writ petitioner submitted his application on 09.04.2025 pursuant to the recruitment notification. He participated in the selection process and was successful in the written examination. The petitioner is yet to participate in the skill test and certificate verification. After publication of the results of the written examination, the candidature of the writ petitioner was rejected on the ground that he is overqualified. The educational qualification prescribed for Group IV posts, as stated in the recruitment notification reads as under: “ A pass in VIII Standard or its equivalent, subject to a maximum qualification of XII Standard or its equivalent, on the date of notification.

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An undertaking should be given by the candidates that they are not possessing / pursuing any higher qualification other than Higher Secondary or its equivalent as on the date of submission of the application. If the candidate suppresses any other educational qualification beyond the prescribed qualification, action will be taken against the said individual apart from penal action.”

3. The maximum qualification has been fixed as 12th standard. Therefore, overqualified candidates are disqualified for selection. Since the petitioner pursued Diploma in Electrical and Electronics Engineering, according to the respondents, his candidature was rejected.

4. The learned counsel for the petitioner would submit that the petitioner joined after completion of SSCL / X Standard has not pursued regular Higher Secondary Course (+2) and instead joined a three year full time Diploma course in Electronics Engineering and completed the course in April 2021. He submitted her application in the year 2025 and as on the date of submission of her application, she was not holding +2 qualification and therefore he had submitted his application with the diploma certificate. Thus, the order of rejection is contrary to the educational qualification prescribed under the Recruitment Notification.

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5. The learned counsel for the respondents would oppose by stating that, since the petitioner has pursued the three year Diploma Course through regular mode and has successfully passed the same, his candidature was rejected by invoking clause 4(B) of the Recruitment Notification dated 06.04.2025.

6. A close reading of Clause 4(B) of the Recruitment Notification amply makes it clear that an undertaking should be given by the candidates that they are not possessing / pursuing any higher qualification other than the Higher Secondary or its equivalent as on the date of submission of the application. Therefore, firstly, a candidate should not possess higher qualification over and above the maximum qualification of the Higher Secondary (+2) contemplated under clause 4(B). Secondly, the candidate should not pursue any higher qualification other than the Higher Secondary Course as on the date of submission of the application. These two requirements are to be verified by the selection authorities.

7. In the present case, admittedly, the petitioner is not possessing any higher qualification. In fact, he is not possessing the qualification of Higher Secondary Course (+2). The only question to be considered is whether he was pursuing the higher qualification as on the date of submission of the application. The certificate submitted by the petitioner would show that he had

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completed the diploma course in the year 2021. The writ petitioner was not pursuing the higher qualification as on the date of the submission of the application i.e., 09.04.2025. Therefore, he would not fall under any of the Clauses in 4(B) i.e., possessing maximum qualification of XII standard or pursuing the higher qualification other than the Higher Secondary Grade or its equivalent as on the date of submission of the application. Thus, the case of the writ petitioner was wrongly rejected.

8. In view of the above facts and circumstances, the Writ Petition stands allowed and the order impugned rejecting the candidature of the petitioner bearing Registration No.25720021355 by the rejection / disqualification list dated 06.07.2026 pursuant to Notification Nos.72 and 73 of 2025 dated 06.04.2025, is set aside. The petitioner shall be permitted to participate in the further process of selection by following procedures as contemplated under the Recruitment Notification and Services Rules in force. There shall be no order as to costs. Consequently, connected miscellaneous petition is closed. (S.M.S.,J.) (K.G.R.,J.) 24-09-2026 Index: Yes/No Speaking/Non-speaking order Neutral Citation: Yes/No KST

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To

1. The Registrar General, High Court of Madras, High Court Buildings, Chennai – 600104.

2. The Registrar (Recruitment) High Court of Madras, High Court Buildings, Chennai - 600104.

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S.M.SUBRAMANIAM J. AND KRISHNASWAMY GOVINDARAJAN J. KST WP No. 39043 of 2026 24-09-2026

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