Geethu Prasad v. University Grants Commission & Others

## **IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM** ## **PRESENT:** ## **THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE P.R.RAMACHANDRA MENON** **FRIDAY, THE 4TH DAY OF JANUARY 2013/14TH POUSHA 1934** ## **WP(C).No. 459 of 2013 (F)** **-------------------------** ## **PETITIONER : -** **------------------------** **MS. GEETHU PRASAD, AGED 23 YEARS, D/o RAJENDRA PRASAD, 7-B REGENT GARDENS, OPPOSITE TO KALYAN SILKS, HOSPITAL ROAD, COCHIN, PIN - 682 011.** **BY ADVS.SRI.PRAKASH P.GEORGE SRI.SADER E.REAZ** ## **RESPONDENTS : -** **---------------------------** **1. THE UNIVERSITY GRANTS COMMISSION, REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY, BAHADUR SHAH ZAFER MARG, NEW DELHI - 110 002.** ## **2. THE CO-ORDINATOR,** **UNIVERSITY GRANTS COMMISSION, NATIONAL ELIGIBILITY TEST FOR JUNIOR FELLOWSHIP & ELIGIBILITY FOR LECTURERSHIP - JUNE 2012, OFFICE OF THE UNIVERSITY GRANTS COMMISSION, BAHADUR SHAH ZAFER MARG, NEW DELHI - 110 002.** ## **3. HEAD,** **NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL TESTING (NET) BUREAU, UNIVERSITY OF DELHI, SOUTH CAMPUS, BENITO JAURAZ MARG, NEW DELHI - 110 021.** **BY ADV. SRI.S.KRISHNA MOORTHY, CGC** **THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 04-01-2013 ALONG WITH WPC NO. 460/2013, WPC NO. 475/2013 AND WPC NO. 476/2013. THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING:** ## **WP(C).No. 459 of 2013 (F)** ## **APPENDIX** ## **PETITIONER'S EXHIBITS :** **EXT P1 : TRUE COPY OF THE NOTIFICATION PUBLISHED BY THE UNIVERSITY GRANT COMMISSION DOWNLOADED FROM ITS WEBSITE. EXT P2 : TRUE COPY OF THE HALL TICKET ISSUED TO THE PETITIONER BY THE UNIVERSITY GRANT COMMISSION. EXT P3 : TRUE COPY OF THE MARK LIST OF 1[st] PETITIONER. EXT P4 : TRUE COPY OF THE CATEGORY-WISE QUALIFYING CRITERIA FOR LECTURERSHIP ELIGIBILITY NOTIFIED BY THE 1[st] RESPONDENT.** ## **RESPONDENTS' EXHIBITS : NIL.** **// TRUE COPY //** **P.A. TO JUDGE** ## **DMR/-** ## **P.R.RAMACHANDRA MENON, J.** - -------------------------------- ## **W.P.(c) Nos.459, 460,475, 476 OF 2013** - - - -------------------------------- Dated this the 4[th] day of January, 2013 ## **JUDGMENT** Whether 'Rules of the game' could be changed during the middle of the game, is the issue involved in all these cases. 2. The matter relates to acquisition of the requisite qualification for appointment as 'Lecturer' by clearing the 'National Eligibility Test' ( NET for short). The test was notified to be conducted by the UGC, stipulating the norms as to the particulars of the papers, the minimum marks to be obtained and such other details. The examination was scheduled to be conducted on 24.06.2012. 3. The petitioners participated in the examination and according to them they have crossed the hurdle, with regard to the minimum marks prescribed and notified. But the UGC, just a few days before the declaration of the result, sought to change the norms, whereby some modification was made with regard to the minimum W.P.(C)No.459/2013 & connected cases 2 qualifying marks and mode of reckoning the same; whereby the 'total/ aggregate minimum' was also brought in, apart from the minimum marks to be secured for each paper. This was quite to the disadvantage of persons like the petitioners, who were never told of such a course, as a result of which, they were not given the clearance. It was in the said circumstance, that similarly situated persons approached this Court by filing several writ petitions, which were considered together and a common judgment was passed by a learned Single Judge of this Court on 17/12/2012 ( W.P.(C)No.22187/2012 & connected cases). 4. As per the said judgment, the course pursued by the UGC was held as not correct or sustainable and accordingly, the impugned proceeding stipulating the category-wise qualifying criteria for lectureship was set aside. It was declared by this Court, that all the petitioners, who had obtained the separate minimum prescribed in the notification for Papers I, II and III, had cleared the 'NET' and appropriate follow up action was directed to be taken, to issue certificates to them, within 'one month' from the date of receipt of a copy of the judgment. The petitioners in these writ petitions seek for W.P.(C)No.459/2013 & connected cases 3 similar benefit, as given by this Court in the aforesaid judgment. 5. Sri.Krishnamoorthy, the learned Standing Counsel for the UGC, entered appearance on behalf of the respondents and made a submission that the respondents are very much aggrieved of the verdict passed by the learned Single Judge and that steps are being taken to file writ appeal. It is pointed out that, if the relief sought for is granted, it will cause undue hardship to the UGC. It is also brought to the notice of this Court that in some other cases, only interim orders have been passed, in terms of the final verdict as mentioned hereinbefore. 6. After hearing both the sides, this Court finds that the judgment already passed by the learned Single Judge in W.P.(C) No.22187/2012 and connected cases is purely based on the question of law, as there is no dispute with regard to the facts and figures. The question of law has been considered and answered in favour of the petitioners concerned and a declaration of law has been made by this Court. The Court also considered the scope and applicability of judicial precedents cited from both the sides particularly, the law declared by the Apex Court in **K.Manjusree v. State of Andra** 4 W.P.(C)No.459/2013 & connected cases **Pradesh and another** ( 2008(3) SCC 512) , the Full Bench of this Court in **Dr.Cyril Johnson v. State of Kerala and others** ( 2009(4) KHC 404( FB) and a Division Bench of this Court in **Jayachandran v. High Court of Kerala** ( 2010 (4) KLT 49) (to which I was also a member), in support of the case projected by the petitioners, to the effect that the rules of selection could not be changed after commencement of the process of selection. The reliance sought to be placed from the part of the UGC with reference to the recent judgment of the Apex Court in Civil Appeal Nos.4959 and 4962 of 2011 with regard to the question of minimum qualifying marks for 'viva voce', introduced just two or three days before the commencement of the oral tests, though it was not stipulated in the advertisement issued by the PSC, was also considered therein and it was distinguished for the reason that, such stipulation was very much incorporated in the relevant rules, but omitted to be incorporated in the advertisement and hence held as not applicable. It was after considering the rival contentions and also the binding judicial precedents, that a finding was rendered, leading to the judgment as aforesaid. W.P.(C)No.459/2013 & connected cases 5 7. As mentioned hereinbefore, the verdict passed by the . learned Single Judge is rather declaratory in nature It has been held by the Apex Court that, if the verdict is of declaratory character, it shall be made applicable to all who are similarly situated; irrespective of the fact whether they are parties to the verdict or not. This is reported in **Ashwani Kumar and others v. State of Bihar and others** (1997(2) SCC 1). Since the petitioners seek for the benefit of such declaratory judgment, this Court does not find any reason to take a different course. 8. In the above circumstances, all these writ petitions are allowed, holding that the petitioners are entitled to have the benefit of the judgment passed in W.P.(C)No.22187/2012 & connected cases. The petitioners, who have obtained the separate minimum prescribed in the notification for Papers I, II and III, are declared as cleared the 'NET'. Appropriate follow up action shall be taken by the concerned respondent to issue certificates to them at the earliest, at any rate within 'one month' from the date of receipt of a copy of this judgment. 9. Considering the fact that petitioners are being given the benefit of the above declaratory judgment, it is also necessary to put the W.P.(C)No.459/2013 & connected cases 6 petitioners on alert, as to the steps stated as being taken by the UGC to challenge the basic judgment by way of Writ Appeal. 10. In the above circumstances, it is made clear that, if the writ appeal being filed by the UGC comes to be allowed in favour of the UGC, naturally the law declared by the Division Bench will be made applicable to all the petitioners herein, who have sought for the benefit of the verdict passed by the learned Single Judge and as the benefit of declaration will stand equally applicable to both the sides. ## **P.R.RAMACHANDRA MENON JUDGE** sv.