Rajasthan High Court Recognizes Equivalence of BPE and BPEd Degrees for PTI Appointments

Court Directs Reconsideration of Candidates with BPE Qualification for PTI Grade-III Posts

In a significant ruling, the Rajasthan High Court has directed the reconsideration of candidates holding a Bachelor of Physical Education (BPE) three-year degree for the post of Physical Training Instructor (PTI) Grade-III. The court clarified that the BPE degree should be considered equivalent to the Bachelor of Physical Education (BPEd) degree, recognizing both qualifications as valid for the said appointment.

The division bench, comprising Mr. Sanjeev Prakash Sharma, Acting Chief Justice, and Mr. Maneesh Sharma, J., heard the appeals filed by several candidates, including Bimala Kumari, challenging the non-inclusion of their BPE qualifications in the eligibility criteria for PTI appointments under an advertisement issued on May 4, 2018. The court noted that the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) had already clarified the equivalence of BPE with BPEd, thus affirming the professional qualification status of the BPE degree.

The judgment criticized the exclusion of BPE degree holders based solely on the nomenclature and deemed it an unjust practice that deprived deserving candidates of their rightful consideration. The court's order mandates the State of Rajasthan to reassess the candidates' eligibility and, if found suitable, to offer appointments with notional benefits from the date similar candidates were appointed.

The appellants' legal representation argued that the BPE degree, being a three-year course, offers comprehensive training and should not be differentiated from the one-year BPEd course in terms of eligibility for PTI appointments. This perspective was upheld by the court, which highlighted that the duration of the course does not diminish its value or qualification level.

The ruling is expected to impact several candidates who have completed their BPE degrees and were previously overlooked for PTI positions. The court has ordered that the implementation of this decision be completed within two months, ensuring timely justice for the appellants.

Bottom Line:

Bachelor of Physical Education (BPE) three-year degree course recognized as equivalent to Bachelor of Physical Education (BPEd) for appointment as PTI Grade-III.

Statutory provision(s): Section 5 of the Limitation Act, Rajasthan Educational Subordinate Service Rules, 1971, National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) regulations.

Bimala Kumari v. State of Rajasthan, (Rajasthan)(Jaipur Bench)(DB) : Law Finder Doc Id # 2820219