By the Court.—Heard Shri Ashok Khare, Senior Advocate assisted by Shri Manoj Kumar Singh, learned Counsel for the petitioner. Shri R.B. Pradhan, learned Standing Counsel appears for the respondents.

2. The petitioner applied for selections in response to the advertisement issued by U.P. Higher Education Service Commission for the post of Principals of Post Graduate Colleges in the State. The advertisement Nos. 34, 35 and 36 were superseded by Advertisement No. 39 inviting applications for appointment of Principals as single post in each college, to be filled up by direct recruit of 69 (male) and 18 (women) for equal number of colleges. The advertisement was clarified and amended by another advertisement dated February 23rd, 2006 increasing the number of posts of Principals and colleges to 81 (male) and 17 (women). The advertisement dated February 23rd, 2006 was published on February 26th, 2006.

3. The selections were delayed. The select list was declared on July 2nd, 2008. The petitioner is placed at No. 6 in the list. He has prayed for directions :

“Issue a writ, order or direction in the nature of mandamus directing the respondent No. 2 that while making the placement of Pri