JUDGMENT :

KIRANMAYEE MANDAVA, J.

1. Heard Sri M.R.Tagore, learned counsel for the petitioner, learned Assistant Government Pleader for Services-I appearing for respondent Nos.1 to 3 and Ms. Sodum Anvesha, learned counsel appearing for respondent No.4.

2. The writ petitioner challenges the final merit list dated 23.08.2020 and the consequential appointment order issued in favour of the 4^th respondent, ignoring the petitioner’s merit.

3. It is contended that pursuant to the notification dated 16.06.2020 issued by the 3^rd respondent inviting applications for direct recruitment to the posts of Assistant Professors in various departments under its control, the petitioner applied for the post of Assistant Professor in Microbiology under the BC-A (Women) category as a local candidate of Guntur District.

4. Out of 16 notified posts of Assistant Professor, one post in Microbiology was reserved for the BC-A category. Both the petitioner and the 4^th respondent belong to the BC-A category.

5. The selection process was for total of 100 marks. The marks were awarded on the basis of the following assessment/evaluation:

(i) 75 marks for performance in the qualifying PG degree/super-specialty examination;

(ii) 1 mark per completed year from the date of passing the qualifying examination, subject to a maximum of 10 marks;

(iii) Weightage upto 15 marks for contract service in Government institutions, calculated as:

(a) 2.5 marks for every six months of service in Tribal areas;

(b) 2 marks for every six months of service in Rural areas.

6. Clause 11(12) of the notification stipulates that service certificates of doctors working on a contract basis must be issued by the competent authority, namely the Director/Commissioner, as the case may be.

7. After scrutiny of applications and certificates, a provisional merit list dated 05.08.2020 was published for the post of Assistant Professor in Microbiology. In the said provisional list, the petitioner was placed at Serial No.13 with 53.21 marks. The 4^th respondent was placed at Serial No.20 with 52 marks.

8. In the provisional assessment, no weightage marks were awarded to the 4^th respondent for contract service.

9. However, in the final merit list dated 23.08.2020, the 4^th respondent was placed at Serial No.4 after being awarded an additional 4 marks towards contract service, increasing her total from 52 to 56 marks. Consequently, the petitioner was pushed down to Serial No.15.

10. Immediately upon publication of the final merit list, the petitioner raised objections through email dated 23.08.2020 and submitted a detailed representation on 29.08.2020. Despite this, counselling was conducted on 02.09.2020, and the 4^th respondent was appointed as Assistant Professor in Microbiology.

11. Learned counsel for the petitioner contends that the service certificate relied upon by the 4^th respondent was not uploaded along with her online application at the time of submission. The said certificate was produced only subsequently, pursuant to the call for objections issued along with the provisional merit list.

12. It is further contended that the Principal of the concerned college issued the service certificate. However, the notification mandates that certificates for contract services in Government institutions must be issued by the competent authority, namely the Director of Medical Education/Director of Health/Commissioner of Family Welfare.

13. The notification further stipulates that candidates claiming weightage must be working on contract service under the Government as on the date of the notification and must produce a certificate issued by the concerned Director. Thus, learned counsel for the petitioner argues that the certificate was not issued by the competent authority prescribed under the notification.

14. It is contended that as per the contents of the certificate, the 4^th respondent was not working in the said institution as on the date of the notification. The certificate was not part of the documents uploaded at the