[Cites 2, Cited by 0]
Rajasthan High Court - Jodhpur
Bhavesh Choudhary vs Rajasthan Public Service Commission ... on 16 April, 2026
Author: Anand Sharma
Bench: Anand Sharma
[2026:RJ-JD:17818]
HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE FOR RAJASTHAN AT
JODHPUR
S.B. Civil Writ Petition No. 330/2026
Bhavesh Choudhary S/o Sh. Om Prakash Choudhary, Aged About
28 Years, Resident Of 4335, Digari Kallan, Ajmer Road, Jodhpur.
----Petitioner
Versus
Rajasthan Public Service Commission, Ajmer Through Its
Secretary.
----Respondent
For Petitioner(s) : Mr. Priyanka Borana
For Respondent(s) : Mr. Khet Singh Rajpurohit
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ANAND SHARMA
Order
16/04/2026
1. This writ petition has been filed by the petitioner with the
following prayer:-
"It is, therefore, humbly prayed that the record of
the case may kindly be called for and the writ
petition filed by the petitioner may kindly be
allowed and;
(I) issue an appropriate writ, order or direction,
including a writ in the nature of certiorari, quashing
and setting aside the impugned
communication/order dated 19.11.2025
(Annexure-2) issued by the respondent whereby
the candidature of the petitioner for the post of
Assistant Professor (College Education) Economics
pursuant to advertisement dated 22.06.2023
(Annexure-1) has been rejected.
(II). issue an appropriate writ, order or direction,
including a writ in the nature of mandamus,
directing the respondent to treat the petitioner's
M.Sc. (Agribusiness Economics) degree as a valid
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and eligible Post Graduate qualification in
Economics for the purpose of recruitment to the
post of Assistant Professor (Economics);
(III) issue an appropriate writ, order or direction
directing the respondent to consider the
candidature of the petitioner for the post of
Assistant Professor (Economics) pursuant
Advertisement dated 22.06.2023 and permit the
petitioner to participate in the interview/selection
process, with all consequential benefits;
IV. in the alternative, and without prejudice, direct
the respondent to provisionally allow the petitioner
to appear in the interview for the post of Assistant
Professor (Economics), subject to the final outcome
of the present writ petition;
V. issue any other appropriate writ, order ог
direction which this Hon'ble Court may deem just
and proper in the facts and circumstances of the
case, in favour of the petitioner;
VI. award costs of the present writ petition in
favour of the petitioner and against the
respondent."
2. It is stated by learned counsel for the petitioner that
petitioner submitted application form pursuant to the
advertisement dated 22.06.2023 issued by the respondent-
Rajasthan Public Service Commission, Ajmer, for recruitment on
the post of Assistant Professor in different subjects. As per the
petitioner, he applied for the post of Assistant Professor
(Economics); however, his candidature has been rejected vide
letter dated 19.11.2025 on the ground that the petitioner does not
possess Post Graduation Degree in the required subject of
Economics, hence, he is not eligible for participate in the
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recruitment process for the post of Assistant Professor
(Economics).
3. Learned counsel for the petitioner has submitted that the
petitioner owns to his credit qualification of Master of Science in
(Agribusiness Economics) from Gokhale Institute of Politics and
Economics which is a deemed university under Section 3 of the
UGC Act, 1956. It is submitted that even as per the list of the
institutions issued by the University Grants Commission, which
have been declared as deemed to be universities, name of
Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics finds place in the list.
Learned counsel for the petitioner further submitted that the Post
Graduation Degree in 'Agribusiness Economics' is equivalent to the
Post Graduation Degree of Economics, hence, the respondent has
committed serious error in rejecting the candidature of the
petitioner. It is also submitted by learned counsel for the petitioner
that petitioner has already participated in the recruitment process
and has otherwise secured sufficient marks, enabling him to
participate in the interview process and the interviews are going to
be completed on today itself, therefore, petitioner may be allowed
to participate in the interview process.
4. The writ petition filed by the petitioner has been vehemently
opposed by learned counsel for the respondent and submits that
terms of advertisement are quite clear that the candidates
applying for the post of Assistant Professor of particular subject is
bound to possess Post Graduation Degree in that subject. He
further submits that since the petitioner had applied for Assistant
Professor (Economics), therefore, he was under an obligation to
possess the degree in the subject of Economics from the
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recognized university. He also submits that petitioner possesses
Post Graduation Degree in the subject of 'Agribusiness Economics;
whereas Agribusiness Economics is not considered to be subject of
Economics faculty and is rather the sub-category of agriculture
subject.
5. Learned counsel for the respondent has placed on record
minutes of meeting dated 21.09.2022 by the Equivalence
Committee of Government of Rajasthan in which recommendation
with regard to equivalence of allied subjects/courses for new
recruitment on the post of Assistant Professor, as per UGC
Regulations, 2018 has been made and while relying upon such
document, it has been submitted that the Equivalence Committee
has also decided that Agribusiness Economics is not a subject of
Economics but is a subject related to agriculture.
6. Heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the
record.
7. It is not a matter of dispute between the parties that as per
the relevant Rules, for the purpose of being eligible to participate
in the recruitment process for the post of Assistant Professor, the
candidate was required to possess Post Graduation Degree in the
relevant subject. Since, the petitioner had applied against the
vacancy of Assistant Professor (Economics), he was bound to
possess Post Graduation Degree in subject of Economics.
8. Admittedly, the petitioner has obtained the degree of Post
Graduation in Agribusiness Economics. Submission made by
learned counsel for the petitioner that such degree may be
considered as equivalent, cannot be appreciated by this Court for
the reason that this Court while exercising it's writ jurisdiction
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under Article 226 of the Constitution of India cannot decide
equivalence between two degrees/courses. It lies within the sole
domain of the State Government. In the instant case, the
Equivalence Committee of respondent-Government has considered
the issue of equivalence of different degrees/courses in its
meeting dated 21.09.2022. As per the decision of 21.09.2022,
subject of Economics includes 'Applied Economics, Development
Economics, Development Studies, Regional Economics, Financial
Economics, Business Economics, Quantitative Economics,
Econometrics and International Economics.'
9. Thus, subject of Agribusiness has not been included as a
relevant subject of Economics.
10. In the same document, Agribusiness Economics and
management has also been considered as allied/relevant subject
of agriculture.
11. In view of the above, this Court finds that the petitioner was
not possessing the requisite qualification of Post Graduation
Degree in the subject of Economics. Hence, the respondent-RPSC
has committed no mistake in rejecting the candidature of the
petitioner vide letter dated 19.11.2025.
12. In view of the above, this writ petition is hereby dismissed.
13. All the pending application(s), if any, stand disposed of.
(ANAND SHARMA),J
325-Taruna/-
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