A valid OBC (NCL) certificate must be issued before the cut-off date for eligibility; the amendment allowing post-cut-off certificates applies prospectively only.

ORDER :

Mr. Sandeep Mehta, J. - The instant intra court appeal, which is delayed by 39 days, is preferred by the appellant writ petitioner for assailing the order dated 23.02.2022 passed by the learned Single Bench whereby, the writ petition seeking a direction upon the respondents to treat the appellant as an OBC (Female) Divorcee category candidate and to consider her claim for selection on the post of Compounder/Nurse Junior Grade with all consequential benefits, was dismissed.

2. The appellant writ petitioner applied for the post of Compounder/Nurse Junior Grade in the category of OBC (Non- Creamylayer) Divorcee category in pursuance of the advertisement dated 17.06.2021 issued by Directorate, Ayurveda Department, Rajasthan, Ajmer. She was called for document verification, however, her name did not figure in the provisional merit list of the Unreserved category candidates/OBC (NCL) category candidates. She filed an objection to the respondents stating inter alia that candidate having obtained 45.08% marks had been selected in the category of OBC (NCL) Divorcees whereas the name of the appellant writ petitioner having obtained 47.90% marks was not reflected in the select list. However, the objection was not considered favourably. In this background, the writ petition came to be filed seeking a direction upon the respondents for including the name of the appellant writ petitioner in the select list. The writ petition was rejected by learned Single Bench vide order dated 23.02.2022 which is assailed in this intra court appeal.

3. Learned counsel Shri Swami representing the appellant writ petitioner submits that the certificates dated 15.12.2017 and 02.08.2021 were submitted by the appellant petitioner, who was a divorcee, indicating her status as OBC (NCL) category and hence, the respondents were under an obligation to consider her candidature in the said category. He submits that the learned Single Judge erred in affirming decision of the respondents in denying appointment to the petitioner in the said category for the reason that the certificates produced by the appellant petitioner were not compliant of the condition contained in the recruitment notification that the OBC (NCL) certificate issued after the cut-off date will not taken into consideration. He drew the Court's attention to the circular dated 17.10.2022 issued by the Department of Personnel, State of Rajasthan which reads as below:

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