Himachal Pradesh High Court Rules in Favor of Ayurvedic Pharmacy Officer Applicant in Batch-Wise Recruitment Dispute
Court Clarifies Recruitment Rule, Orders State to Recognize Original Exam Date for Batch Classification in Ayurvedic Pharmacy Officer Selection
In a landmark ruling, the Himachal Pradesh High Court has sided with Smt. Asha Rani in her legal battle against the State of Himachal Pradesh regarding her eligibility for the position of Ayurvedic Pharmacy Officer under the batch-wise recruitment process. The judgment, delivered by Justice Sandeep Sharma on September 17, 2025, has clarified the interpretation of the Recruitment and Promotion (R&P) Rules concerning the determination of a candidate's batch for employment purposes.
The case, Smt. Asha Rani v. State of Himachal Pradesh, arose from a dispute about the criteria for determining the batch of candidates eligible for appointment as Ayurvedic Pharmacy Officers. The petitioner, Asha Rani, had completed her diploma in Ayurvedic Pharmacy in the academic session of 2003-2005, with her final examination taken in June 2005. However, her official certificate was issued on April 7, 2006. Consequently, the respondents, including the State of Himachal Pradesh and the Director of Ayush, denied her appointment under the 2005 batch, considering her as part of the 2006 batch due to the certificate issuance date.
The court found in favor of the petitioner, deciding that the date recorded on the original "Detail Marks Certificate" of the final professional examination determines the candidate's batch, not the certificate issuance date. This interpretation aligns with Clause 15 of the R&P Rules, which states the relevant date is when the final examination was completed, not when the certificate was issued. As such, Asha Rani, who completed her examinations in June 2005, was deemed part of the 2005 batch despite her certificate being issued in April 2006.
Justice Sharma highlighted that the Screening Committee had made an error by considering the certificate issuance date rather than the actual completion date of the exam as recorded in the original certificate. This misinterpretation led to the wrongful denial of Asha Rani's appointment for the 2005 batch of Ayurvedic Pharmacy Officers.
However, while the court ruled in favor of offering Asha Rani an appointment, it also protected the employment status of respondent No. 4, who was not at fault. Justice Sharma referenced similar cases, emphasizing the importance of fairness to all candidates, including those already serving due to administrative errors.
The court's decision marks a significant interpretation of the R&P Rules, ensuring that candidates are assessed based on the correct criteria, prioritizing the actual completion date of their academic qualifications over the issuance date of certificates.
Bottom Line:
Recruitment - Batch-wise selection for the post of Ayurvedic Pharmacy Officer - Date recorded on the original "Detail Marks Certificate" of final professional examination determines the batch of the candidate, not the date of issuance of the certificate.
Statutory provision(s): Clause 15 of Recruitment and Promotion (R&P) Rules for Ayurvedic Pharmacy Officer
Smt. Asha Rani v. State of Himachal Pradesh, (Himachal Pradesh) : Law Finder Doc Id # 2786329
