The court affirmed that the equivalence of educational qualifications is a matter of State determination, limiting judicial review, while ensuring that unfilled vacancies warrant reconsideration of candidates' qualifications.

Order :

SUDESH BANSAL, J.

1. The petitioners, in this batch of writ petitions, have appeared in the Written (Main Examination) conducted on 24.12.2016, for appointment on the post of Patwari through Direct Recruitment Examination-2015, pursuant to the advertisement dated 04.11.2015. The petitioners participated in the present recruitment under the category of 'ex-servicemen'. The issue raised by all the petitioners is of substantially, identical nature that they have acquired and possess equivalent qualification of computer education as required and prescribed for the post of Patwari, but their qualifications have not been considered by the respondents, merely on the ground that their qualifications do not fall within the prescribed qualification of Computer Education as indicated in the advertisement dated 04.11.2015. According to petitioners, the computer qualification acquired by them, is equivalent or higher than the prescribed qualification, therefore, candidature of the petitioners deserve to be considered for appointment on the post of Patwari on merits.

2. Since, question involved in respect of equivalence of computer qualification of petitioners, is substantially similar nature, with the consent of counsel for both the parties, all writ petitions have been heard together and would stand decided by this common order.

3. Relevant factual matrix, in nutshell, is that, vide Advertisement dated 04.11.2015 and amended advertisements, about 4426 vacancies of Patwari were notified, who after selection are required to be posted in the Department of Revenue, Government of Rajasthan. As per the said advertisement, recruitment for the post of Patwari is to be made as per the Rajasthan Land Revenue (Land Records) Rules, 1957 (hereinafter referred to as 'the Rules of 1957') and the Rajasthan Scheduled Area Subordinate Ministerial & Class-IV Services (Recruitment & Other Service Conditions) Rules, 2014. The requisite qualification for the post in question as prescribed in the advertisement, which is in consonance with the qualification as prescribed under Rule 273(4)(i) of the Rules of 1957 as amended vide Notification dated 12.08.2015, is as under:-

“(i) The applicant must have a working knowledge of Hindi written in Devnagri Script, knowledge of Rajasthan Culture and following qualifications, namely:-

(I) He must have passed the 10+2/ Senior Secondary School Examination or any other equivalent examination, recognized by the Government and (II) ‘O’ or higher level certificate course, conducted by the Department of Electronics Accrediation of Computer Course (DOEACC) under the control of the Department of Electronics, Government of India;

Or

Computer Operator and Programming Assistant (COPA)/ Data Preparation and Computer Software (DPCS) certificate course organized under the National Council on Vocational Training/ State Council on Vocational Training Scheme;

Or

Diploma in computer Scheme/ Computer Applications from a University established by law in India or from an Institution recognized by the Government;

Or

Diploma in Computer Science Course in Information Technology (RSCIT) conducted by Vardhman Mahaveer Open University, Kota under control of Rajasthan Knowledge Corporation Limited.”

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