Uttarakhand High Court Quashes Select List for Draughtsman Posts in Urban Development Department

Court mandates strict adherence to advertised qualifications, revises selection criteria for Urban Development roles.

In a significant ruling, the Uttarakhand High Court has quashed the select list for the recruitment of Draughtsmen in the Urban Development Department, emphasizing the necessity to strictly adhere to the qualifications outlined in the job advertisement. The judgment was delivered by Justice Ravindra Maithani in response to a writ petition filed by Prakash Singh, who challenged the selection results announced by the Uttarakhand Public Service Commission on January 8, 2025.

The core issue revolved around the essential qualifications required for the post of Draughtsman, particularly concerning the Urban Development Department. The court observed that the qualifications specified in the advertisement were not followed, as the select list included candidates with qualifications other than the prescribed Diploma or ITI certificate in Draughtsman trade.

The judgment underscored that neither the recruiting body nor the court has the authority to alter the qualifications once the recruitment process has commenced. The court noted that the term "concerned trade" in the qualifications strictly pertains to the Draughtsman trade and not to equivalent qualifications such as a Diploma in Civil Engineering or Architectural Assistant.

The ruling came after a thorough examination of the recruitment process initiated by an advertisement on May 29, 2023. The petitioner, Prakash Singh, argued that despite securing more marks than the last cut-off shown in the document verification list, his name was excluded from the final selection list. The court found merit in his petition, particularly regarding the Urban Development Department's recruitment criteria.

The court also addressed the equivalence of qualifications for the Minor Irrigation and Public Works Departments. It was established that for these departments, a Diploma in Civil Engineering, Diploma/Certificate in Draughtsman, or Diploma/Certificate in Architectural Assistant are considered equivalent for the Draughtsman post.

In light of these findings, the court directed the Uttarakhand Public Service Commission to revise the select list, ensuring that only candidates with the specified qualifications for the Urban Development Department are considered. The revised list is to be issued within a month, adhering strictly to the qualifications advertised.

This judgment reinforces the principle that recruitment bodies must strictly adhere to the qualifications outlined in job advertisements, ensuring transparency and fairness in the recruitment process.

Bottom Line:

Recruitment - Essential qualification for a post must strictly adhere to the qualifications prescribed in the advertisement. Neither the recruiting body nor the Court can add or subtract qualifications once the recruitment process has commenced.

Statutory provision(s): Service Law - Recruitment qualifications, Equivalence of qualifications, Select list revision

Prakash Singh v. State of Uttarakhand, (Uttarakhand) : Law Finder Doc Id # 2817815