Judgment

NATARAJAN, J.-This appeal by special leave, is against the order of the High Court of Allahabad in Civil Misc. Writ Petition No. 10373 of 1981 and lies within a narrow compass.

2. In the year 1976 the appellant invited applications from qualified candidates for recruitment to the posts of "Clerk II Grade". A general test was held and the successful candidates were then interviewed and a list of 59 approved candidates eligible for appointment was prepared. However, only candidates up to serial No. 23 could be appointed against the vacancies which had arisen. The respondents were six of the candidates included in the list of eligible candidates but they could not be appointed because of their lower ranking in the list as serial Nos. 48, 28, 51, 46, 58 and 56 respectively. By way of concession the respondents and the other candidates who could not be appointed were offered the post of "Apprentice Clerks" for a period of one year for having the benefit of training subject to the condition that their acceptance of the offer would result in their names being deleted from the list. The respondents accepted the offer and had the benefit of being apprentice clerks for a period of on