ACHINTYA MALLA BUJOR BARUA, J.

1. Heard Mr. J. Patowary, learned counsel for the petitioner, Mr. P. Borah, learned counsel appearing for the respondent Nos. 3, 4 and 5 and Mr. N.J. Khataniar, learned Standing Counsel for the Higher Education Department.

2. The petitioner, who claims to have a good academic record, was serving as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sanskrit in the Gurucharan College, Silchar. Prior to that, she was serving as an Ad-Hoc lecturer in the Department of Sanskrit at MNC Balika Mahavidyalaya, Nalbari.

3. An advertisement dated 04.07.2015 was issued by the Principal-cum-Secretary of Nalbari College, which was published in the daily English newspaper namely "The Assam Tribune" dated 04.07.2015, wherein applications were invited from eligible candidates, amongst others, for filling up the vacant sanctioned post of Assistant Professor in Sanskrit in Nalbari College, Assam. As per the advertisement, the last date of receipt of applications was fixed fifteen days after the date of publication of the advertisement. The required qualification etc was also prescribed in the advertisement itself. According to the petitioner, on the date when