Madhya Pradesh High Court
Swati Sharma vs Madhya Pradesh Public Service ... on 12 March, 2025
Author: Vijay Kumar Shukla
Bench: Vijay Kumar Shukla
NEUTRAL CITATION NO. 2025:MPHC-IND:6820
1 WP-8257-2025
IN THE HIGH COURT OF MADHYA PRADESH
AT INDORE
BEFORE
HON'BLE SHRI JUSTICE VIJAY KUMAR SHUKLA
ON THE 12th OF MARCH, 2025
WRIT PETITION No. 8257 of 2025
SWATI SHARMA
Versus
MADHYA PRADESH PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION THROUGH ITS
SECRETARY AND OTHERS
Appearance:
Shri Rishabh Singh Chauhan - Advocate for the petitioner.
Shri Vindhyavashini Prasad Khare (through VC) and Shri Vijay Gulani -
Advocate for the respondent Nos.1&2.
ORDER
Heard on I.A No.2252/2025, which is an application for withdrawal of the
vakalatnama.
2. For the reasons stated in the application, the same is allowed and the
vakalatnama is permitted to be withdrawn and the same is directed to be substituted by
the vakalatnama filed by Shri R.S Chauhan.
3. With the aforesaid, I.A No.2252/2025 is disposed off.
4. The instant petition is filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India
challenging the order dated 19/2/2025 whereby the candidature of the petitioner for the
post of Assistant Professor in the 'Statistics' subject 'Population Studies' on the ground
that the petitioner holds UGC-NET eligibility for the post of Assistant Professor in the
subject 'Population Studies' instead of Mathematical Science which is an allied subject
of 'Statistics' and the 'Population Studies' is not the allied subject of Statistics.
5. The facts of the case in brevity are that the Petitioner has pursued Graduation
in Science subject in the year 2014 from the Barkatullah University, Bhopal. Further,
the Petitioner has pursued Post Graduation in the subject 'Statistics' in the year 2016
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from the Barkatullah University, Bhopal. The petitioner for the purpose of attaining the
eligibility for the post of Assistant Professor duly participated in the UGC NET
(National Eligibility Text for Assistant Professor) and duly cleared the same and
obtained the UGC-NET eligibility for the post of Assistant Professor in the subject
'Population Studies'. The Petitioner has completed her Post Graduation in 'Statistics'
subject and then participated in National Eligibility Test for Assistant Professor for the
same subject, however, as there is no Statistics subject in UGC-NET subject list and the
list so released by National Testing Agency categorically prescribed that the subject
'Population Studies' is at par/allied subject of 'Statistics', as such, the Petitioner
received the UGC-NET eligibility for the post of Assistant Professor in the Subject
'Population Studies'. The Respondents issued an advertisement on 30.12.2022 for
appointments on the 05 Posts (02 post for UR and 3Post for ST) of Assistant Professor
for the subject "Statistics". The Petitioner being eligible applied in the recruitment
process (Assistant Professor (Statistics) Examination, 2022) by duly filling the form.
The admit card was issued in favour of Petitioner and was allotted Roll Number
470032. Further, the Petitioner duly participated in the recruitment process and was
short listed for document verification and interview vide result dated 24.12.2024. The
Petitioner duly submitted the documents for verification in the prescribed format.
However, after scrutiny, due to grave ignorance to the subject list of UGC-NET and
allied subject of Statistics, the Respondent vide order dated 19.02.2025 has rejected the
candidature of the Petitioner on the ground that the Petitioner holds UGC-NET
eligibility for the post of Assistant Professor in the subject 'Population Studies', instead
of 'Mathematical Science' which is an allied subject of 'Statistics' and that 'Population
Studies' is not the allied subject of 'Statistics'. By order dated 19.02.2025, a liberty has
been granted to the Petitioner to submit Objection/Representation within 7 days. As
such, the Petitioner detailing all facts, duly submitted the representation on 24.02.2025.
However, no decision has been taken on the objection/representation of the Petitioner
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till date, rather, a notification has been issued by the Respondent on 24.02.2025,
thereby, scheduling the date of interview on 12.03.2025 for the post of Assistant
Professor (Statistics).
6. Counsel for the petitioner argued that the UGC-NET subject list issued by the
National Testing Agency clearly provides that "the candidates with the Masters Degree
in Geography or Mathematics/Statistics are also eligible to appear in the subject
'Population Studies'. It is argued that the petitioner being holder of the post graduation
in 'Statistics' subject and having UGC-NET eligibility in the subject 'Population Studies'
is eligible for the post of Assistant Professor.
7. The petitioner vehemently argued that as per the UGC-NET subject list issued
by National Testing Agency, the candidates that have Masters Degree in Geography or
Mathematics or Statistics are eligible to appear in the subject 'Population Studies'. On
the basis of the aforesaid facts and submissions, the petitioner has prayed for quashment
of the impugned order dated 19/2/2025 and also prayed a direction to the respondents to
accept the candidature of the petitioner for the post of Assistant Professor (Statistics)
and permit her to appear in the interview.
8. The respondent MPPSC filed the reply and argued that the petitioner had
applied for the post of Assistant Professor (Statistics) and the conditions were fixed by
the employer/State of M.P. In pursuant to the requisition letter, the MPPSC had
conducted the said selection to fill up the 5 posts of Assistant Professor (Statistics) and
relied on the various conditions of the advertisements. In support of his submission that
there is no specific subject in the UGC-NET subject list and the list so released by the
National Testing Agency categorically stated that subject 'Population Studies' is at
par/allied subject of 'Statistics' and the petitioner received the UGC-NET eligibility for
the post of Assistant Professor in the subject 'Population Studies'. The UGC-NET
subject list issued by the National Testing Agency categorically provides that "the
candidates having Masters degree in the Geography or Mathematics/Statistics are also
NEUTRAL CITATION NO. 2025:MPHC-IND:6820
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eligible to appear in the subject 'Population Studies'."
9. I have heard learned counsel for the parties.
10. After hearing learned counsel for the parties, the question arises for
consideration is that whether the UGC-NET eligibility in subject 'Population Studies'
can be said to allied subject of statistics or not ?
11. In order to appreciate the aforesaid question, it is apposite to reproduce
certain relevant conditions of the advertisement which are part of the recruitment rules.
''01 सभी व ा पत वषय म नेट/ लेट क पर ा या मूल वषय के नाम
से अथवा त संबंधी यूजीसी ारा आयो जत क जाने वाली पर ा को
मा य कया जाएगाा जसका ववरण िन नानुसार है :-
(उ च िश ा वभाग, म य दे श के आदे श मांक एफ 1-118/2012/38-
1 दनांक 15/11/2017)
यूजीसी नेट म अं कत यूजीसी नेट म अं कत
. वषय . वषय
वषय वषय
डफस एंड े ट जक
1 जीव रसायल लाईफ साइं स 19 सै य व ान
टे डज़
2 वन पित शा लाईफ साइं स 20 संगीत संगीत
3 रसायन भौितक केिमकल साइं स 21 संगीत वा संगीत
4 आगिनक भौितक केिमकल साइं स 22 संगीत गायन संगीत
5 रसायन भौितक केिमकल साइं स 23 िच कला वजूअल आ स
6 वा ण य वा ण य 24 दशन शा दशनशा
7 नृ य परफ़ािमग आ स 25 भौितक शा फ जकल साइं स
8 अथशा अथशा 26 राजनीित शा राजनीित शा
9 अँ ेजी अँ ेजी 27 मनो व ान मनो व ान
10 पयावरण व ान पयावरण व ान 28 सं कृ त ा य
11 भूगोल भूगोल 29 सं कृ त
12 भूगभ शा अथ साइं स 30 सं कृ त याकरण सं कृ त े ड शनल स जे ट
सं कृ त सा ह य
ा य
14 इितहास इितहास 32 समाज शा समाजशा
15 गृह व ान गृह व ान 33 सां यक मैथमे टकल साइं स
16 विध विध 34 उद ू उद ू
सं कृृ त े ड शनल
17 मराठ मराठ 35 वेद
स जे ट
18 ग णत थमे टकल साइं स 36 ाणी शा लाईफ साइं स
02. म य दे श शासन उ च िश ा वभाग के आदे श मांक
1/1/0081/2022/ Sec-1-38(HED), दनांक 22.12.2022 ारा सां यक
NEUTRAL CITATION NO. 2025:MPHC-IND:6820
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वषय के संब धत सह वषय के संबंध म जानकार िन नानुसार है :-
ं. वषय सह वषय (Allied Subject )
1 सां यक (Satistics) हे तु कोई सह वषय नह ं है ।
12. Emphasis is laid by Court.
पांच मह वपूण :- यह सुिन त करने क ज◌़ मेदार वयं अ यथ क
होगी क, वे अपने आवे दत पद के िलए िनधा रत सम त अहताओं और
शत को पूरा करते हैै । अत: आवेदन करने के पहले अ याथ अपनी
अहता क जांच वयं कर ल और अहता क सम त शत को पूरा करने
पर ह आवेदन प भर। िल खत पर ा हे तु वेश प जार करने अथवा
सा ा कार के िलए आमं त करने का अथ यह कदा प नह ं होगा क
अ यथ को अह मान िलया गया है । चयन के कसी भी तर पर अ यथ
के अनह पाए जाने पर उसका आवेदन प िनर त कर उसक उ मीदवार
समा क जाएगी ।''
13. The notice no.16429/79/2024/Chayan Indore, Dated 19.02.2025 issued by the
answering respondents No.1&2-PSC whereby petitioner's application has been rejected
due to not having Minimum Educational Qualification. The same is reproduced as
under:-
"Note (ट प):- 01 सभी व ा पत वषय म नेट/ लेट क पर ा या तो
मूल वषय के नाम से अथवा त संबंधी यूजीसी ारा आयो जत क जाने
वाली पर ा को मा य कया जाएगा जसका ववरण िन नानुसार है :-
. वषय यूजीसी नेट म अं कत वषय
33 सां यक मैथमे टकल साइं स
03/ सहायक ा यापक सां यक पद हे तु िन निल खत 01 आवेदक क
उ मीदवार रा ीय पा ता (नेट) संबंिधत वषय मैथमे टकल साइं स
(MATHEMATICAL SCIENCE) के थान पर पोपुलेशन ट डज
(POPULATION STUDIES) म होने से आदे शानुसार िनर त क
जाती है :-
(मु य भाग 87- ितशत )
ROLL Full Name
S.NO. App. No. Gender Category
NUMBER
SWATI
1 470032 AP22332205053153 SHARMA Female UR
14. The petitioner has submitted representation/objection which has been rejected
by the impugned order. Upon perusal of clauses 1,2,5 & note 1, it is evident that for
'Statistics' subject there was no allied subject. It has been clearly provided that the
candidates with the Masters degree in Geography (with specialization in Population
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Studies) or Mathematics/Statistics are also eligible to appear in the subject 'Population
Studies' (code 015) meaning that candidates of the Master degree are eligible to appear
in the subject of 'Population Studies'. Thus, the petitioner cannot claim that she is
eligible to appear in the subject of Statistics for which there is no allied subject as per
clause No.2 of the advertisement.
15. Counsel for the petitioner relied on a judgment passed by the High Court of
Manipur in W.P (c) No.898/2017(Md. Feroz Khan and Anr. Vs. The State of Manipur
and Ors.) to contend that the candidates having Masters degree in
Mathematics/Statistics can also appear in 'Population Studies'.
16. Per contra, counsel for the respondent relied on the judgments passed by the
Supreme Court in the case of Zahoor Ahmad Rather and Ors. vs. Sheikh Imtiyaz
Ahmad and Ors. reported in 2019 (2) SCC 404 and also the order passed by this Court
in the case of Ateesh Rai vs. The State of M.P and Ors. in W.P No.17893/2023 and
other connected petition decided on 29/11/2023, in support of his contention that the
eligibility criteria is within the domain of the employer.
17. The prescription of qualification for a post is a matter of recruitment policy
and, therefore, the Court cannot interfere with the qualification prescribed by the
employer or they cannot prescribe any equivalence qualifications. The judgment relied
by counsel for the petitioner passed in the case of Md. Feroz Khan (supra) would not
apply to the present case. The qualification was prescribed in the advertisement and the
specific clauses i.e clause Nos.1,2 &5 and note 1 which makes it clear that the
petitioner's UGC-NET eligibility in the subject 'Population Studies' cannot be said to be
allied subject of 'Statistics'. The subject 'Population Studies' is not the allied subject of
'Statistics'. In the case of Zahoor Ahmed Rather (supra) in para 26, the Apex Court held
that the prescription of qualifications for a post is a matter of recruitment policy. The
State being the employer is entitled to prescribe qualifications as a condition of
eligibility. It is not the role or function of judicial review to expand upon the ambit of
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the prescribed qualifications. Similarly, equivalence of qualification is not the matter
which can be determined in exercise of power of judicial review. The co-ordinate
Bench in the case of Ateesh Rai (supra) referring the judgment passed by the Supreme
Court in the case of State of Rajasthan and Anr. vs. Lata Arun reported in JT 2002 (5)
SCC 210 held that the eligibility qualification for recruitment in service is a matter to
be considered by the appropriate authority and it is not for the Courts to decide whether
a particular educational qualification should or should not be accepted as equivalent to
the qualification prescribed by the authority.
18. In the present case, from clause 2 of the advertisement, it is pellucid that the
Higher Education department of the State of Madhya Pradesh vide its order
No.1/1/00/81/2022/Sec-1-38(HED) clearly held that there would be no allied subject of
'Statistics'. The order of the State Government is not challenged in the present petition.
19. In view of the aforesaid, this Court finds no merit in the petition.
20. Accordingly, the petition being devoid of merit and substance is hereby
dismissed.
21. No order as to cost.
(VIJAY KUMAR SHUKLA)
JUDGE
PK
