Shukla Sanjay Devendraprasad vs DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION AND LITERACY on 13 October 2026

CENTRAL ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL JABALPUR Order Sheet Item no.: 13 O.A./962/2026 (JABALPUR) [ SELECTION ] Court No.: 2 No of Adjournment: Order Dated: 13/10/2026 SHUKLA SANJAY DEVENDRAPRASAD Vs DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION AND LITERACY

For Applicant(s) Advocate : SHRI VIDYA SHANKAR MISHRA

For Respondent(s) Advocate : SHRI D S BAGHEL ON ADVANCE NOTICE Order of The Tribunal The matter has been taken up today through hybrid mode. Heard. Issue notice to the respondents as per rules. Also heard on the prayer for interim relief. The applicant has sought for the following interim relief in this O.A. “9. In view of the facts and circumstances of the case, the applicant humbly prays that this Hon'ble Tribunal may kindly be pleased to stay the operation of the impugned endorsement contained in the Check List (Annexure-A-6) and be further pleased to command the respondent No.3 to proceed further by reviving the candidature of the applicant and grant consequential benefits to the applicant to which he is entitled to.” The facts of the case in brief is that the respondents have issued an advertisement vide notification 01/2025 for the post of Trained Graduate Teacher (Computer Science). The applicant applied for the post of TGT (Computer Science). The applicant obtained a degree in Bachelor of Business Administration (Computer Application) from Savitribai Phule Pune University.

The applicant appeared in preliminary written examination and has cleared the same. A call letter dated 28.09.2026 was issued to the applicant to appear in the interview on 07.10.2026. During the document verification, the respondent No. 3 passed the impugned order (Annexure A-6) with a finding that the applicant does not possess the desired qualification (BCA). Hence he is not eligible. Learned counsel for the respondents opposes the prayer for interim relief on the ground that the applicant does not possess the requisite educational qualification. Since he is not eligible for appointment to the said post, he is not entitled for any interim relief. We have the rival submissions of both the counsels for both the parties on the prayer for interim relief. It is clear that possession of the prescribed essential educational qualification is fundamental for consideration of the candidature. In the absence of such qualification, the applicant has failed to establish a prima facie case warranting grant of interim relief. This Tribunal is of the considered view that the issue relating to equivalence of qualification and fulfilment of the essential educational qualification prescribed for the post requires examination by the competent Expert Committee. At this stage, in the absence of a clear determination regarding the applicant’s eligibility in terms of the prescribed qualification, no case for grant of interim relief is made out. It is noted that grant of the interim relief, at this stage, would virtually amount to granting the substantive relief sought in the Original Application, which cannot be granted without final adjudication of the matter. Reliance is placed on the judgment of the Hon'ble Apex Court in the case of Santosh B. Naik vs. State of Goa & Ors. (CIVIL APPEAL NO. 13460 OF 2026) wherein it has been held as follows:

"11. It is well-settled that the qualifications prescribed by the recruiting authority for a particular post are required to be satisfied in the manner in which they have been prescribed. The Court, while exercising judicial review, ordinarily cannot add to or alter the essential qualifications prescribed under the Recruitment Rules. The question as to whether a qualification possessed by a candidate is equivalent to the qualification prescribed is ordinarily within the domain of the employer or the competent expert body. This principle has been reiterated by this Court in Zahoor Ahmad Rather & Ors. v. Sheikh Imtiyaz Ahmad & Ors., 1 Unnikrishnan C.V. & Ors. v. Union of India & Ors., 2 and Shifana P.S. v. State of Kerala & Ors" Therefore, the matter is remitted to the Expert Committee of the respondents to examine the applicant’s eligibility with reference to the essential qualification prescribed for the post, the relevant recruitment rules and the documents submitted by the applicant. The Expert Committee shall pass a reasoned and speaking decision in accordance with the applicable rules and communicate the same to the applicant within 90 days. In view of the aforesaid, this Tribunal does not find any sufficient ground to grant the interim relief prayed for by the applicant at this stage. Accordingly, the prayer for interim relief is rejected. Respondents are directed to file their detailed reply within four weeks. List the matter for further consideration on 27.11.2026. Smt Mallika Arya Member (A) RAJINDER SINGH DOGRA Member (J) Rajul Namdeo ( steno 'c' )