JUDGMENT :

S.K. Panigrahi, J.

1. In both the writ petitions filed herein, the petitioners have challenged the action of the opposite parties in not extending the benefits of age relaxation in terms of the Odisha Civil Service (Fixation of Upper Age Limit) Amendment Rules, 2022 while submitting the online application forms for the post of Odisha Education Service Officers in Group-B under School and Mass Education Department.

2. The present petitioners are serving as Assistant Teachers in Secondary Schools and they eminently satisfy the eligibility criteria in terms of the educational qualification prescribed in the advertisement No.15 of 2021-22 issued by the Odisha Public Service Commission (hereinafter referred to as “the OPSC” for brevity). However, they failed to apply online due to fixation of upper age limit to 32 years. Therefore, the present petitioners along with other similarly situated aspirants who are at present serving under School and Mass Education Department had filed a Writ Petition bearing W.P.(C) No.38527/2021 challenging the very same advertisement on the ground of relaxation of upper age limit and praying for a direction to the Opp. Parties for relaxation of upp