JUDGMENT :

(Sanjeev Kumar, J.)

1. Pursuant to an indent/request received from the Department of Higher Education, Government of UT of Jammu and Kashmir, the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission ['the PSC'] vide its Notification No. 10-PSC (DR-P) of 2017, dated 27.10.2017 invited applications, inter alia, for ten (10) posts of Assistant Professor (Geology) which included five (5) posts in the open merit. As per the said Notification, the eligibility prescribed was as under:

(a) Good academic record as defined by the concerned University with at least with 55% marks (50% excluding any grace marks, in case of scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe/Differently-abled (physically and visually differently abled) Categories/Ph.D degree holders, who have obtained their Master's Degree prior to 19th September, 1999) or an equivalent grade in a point scale where grading system is followed at the Master's Degree level in the relevant subject form an Indian University, or an equivalent “degree” form an accredited foreign University;

(b) The candidate must have cleared NET/SLET/SET Conducted by the