JUDGMENT :

Since all these writ petitions involve a similar question of fact and law to be decided, therefore these are being taken up and decided together by way of this common judgment for the sake of brevity and convenience.

2. WPSS No.134 of 2023 shall be the leading case for the purpose of deciding the controversy involved in this batch of writ petitions.

3. The facts of these matters are that the respondent no.4 published an advertisement on 03.01.2023 inviting applications from the candidates for supplying the vacancies on the post of Nursing Officer (Female/Male) in the Department of Medical Health and Family Welfare, Uttarakhand. As per the qualification given in the said advertisement, petitioners, who were duly qualified, to submit their application forms being eligible. There is no dispute about their eligibility for the purpose of filling up the application forms for the said post. The main controversy falls in a very narrow compass with regards to the upper age limit of the candidates. According to Clause 7 of the advertisement dated 03.01.2023, age of a candidate shall be reckoned from 01.07.2022 and on that date, candidate must have attained minimum age of 21 years and