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Supreme Court of India

DR. NANDA BALLABH PATHAKversusSTATE OF U.P. AND ORS.

Citation
1996 INSC 733
Decided
12 July 1996
Disposal
Dismissed

Holding

The appellant is not eligible for appointment as Hindu Pandit because he does not possess the required BA in Sanskrit and the post is reserved for Scheduled Caste candidates.

Summary

Dr. Nanda Ballabh Pathak, a Hindi Pandit in a lower‑grade school, applied for promotion to the post of Hindu Pandit in an upgraded inter‑college. The post was prescribed to require an MA in Hindi, a BA in Sanskrit and a B.Ed. While the appellant held an MA and PhD in Hindi, he did not possess a BA in Sanskrit. He challenged the rejection of his claim before the High Court, which also noted that the post was reserved for Scheduled‑Caste candidates; the High Court dismissed his petition. The Supreme Court examined whether the statutory qualification of a BA in Sanskrit was mandatory and whether the reservation barred his appointment. It held that the lack of the required BA in Sanskrit made the appellant ineligible and that the reservation was valid, so the High Court’s rejection was correct. Accordingly, the appeal was dismissed.

Issues considered

  • Whether the appellant satisfies the statutory qualification of BA in Sanskrit for the post of Hindu Pandit
  • Whether the reservation of the post for Scheduled Caste candidates bars the appellant's appointment

Subjects

promotioneligibilityqualificationreservationHindu Panditeducation servicespecial leave petitionU.P. Secondary Education Service Commission

Judgment

A                     DR. NANDA BALLABH PATHAK
                                        v.
                           STATE OF U.P. AND ORS.

                                 JULY 12, 1996

B              [K. RAMASWAMY AND G.B. PATTANA!K, JJ.]

            Se1vice /aw-Promotion-Appellant WO/king as Hindi pandit in High
     SchooHJpgradation of School to Inter College-Claim for post of Hindi
    .Pandit in College-Wiit-Rejection of claim by High Court-Appeat-
C    Prescribed qualification for post MA. in Hindi and BA. in Sa11sk1it apa1t
    from B.Ed.-Held Rejection of appellant's claim was 1ight since he was not
    possessing BA. Degree in Sansk1it-Held no inteiference was called for with
     decision of High Cowt.

          CIVIL APPELLATE .JURISDICTION: Civil Appeal No. 9481 of
D 1996.

         From the Judgment antf Order dated 24.5.95 of the Allahabad High
    Court in S.A. No. 401 of 1992.

          Pramod Swarup for the Appellant.
E
          R.C. Verma and R.B. Misra for the State.

          Mrs. S. Janani for the Respondents.

          The following Order of the Court was delivered :
F
          Leave granted.

          This appeal by special leave arises from the judgment and order
    dated May 24, 1995 of the Allahabad High Court in Special Appeal No.
G   401/92. The appellant was working as a Hindi Pandit in the L.T. Grade.
    The Bazpur Cooperative Sugar Factory Inter College, Bazpur District
    Nainital was upgraded from High School. Four posts, including the post of
    a Hindu pandit, were sanctioned for recruitment. The appellant is an M.A.,
    Ph.D. in Hindi. He staked his claim for promotion to that post. It was not
    acceded to. Consequently, he filed the writ petition in the High Court. The
H   learned single Judge as well as the Division Bench of the High Court have
                                        546
                DR.NANDABALLABHPAIBAK v. STATE                            547

negatived his claim. Thus this appeal by special leave.                          A
       The only question involved in this case is : whether the appellant is
eligible for appointment as a Hindu Pandit in the intermediate college. Shri
Pramod Swamp, learned counsel for the appellant contended that since
one Smt. Lila Singh was already working in the school as a Sanskrit teacher,
insisting upon his having B.A. degree in Sanskrit is contrary to the statutory   B
rules and that, therefore, the High Court was not right in rejecting his
abovesaid claim. We find no force in the contention. It is seen that smt.
Lila Singh is working as Sanskrit teacher in the High School but not in the
college. As a consequence, when the vacancy had arisen for Hindi Pandit
in the college, admittedly, the qualification prescribed is M.A. in Hindi arid   c
B.A. in Sanskrit, apart from B.Ed., since both Hindi and Sanskrit are to be
taught by the same teacher in the college. Admittedly, the appellant did
not possess B.A degree in Sanskrit. Under those circumstances, rejection
of his claim cannot be said to be vitiated by any error of law. In addition,
the High Court has also pointed out that the Management had slated in
their-affidavit filed in the High Court that the said post was reserved for      D
the Scheduled Caste and was notified by the U.P. Secondary Education
Service Commission. His claim was rejected on that ground also. Under
these circumstances, 've do not think that it is a case warranting inter-
ference.
                                                                                 E
      The appeal is accordingly dismissed. No costs.

T.N.A.                                                    Appeal dismissed.


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