CENTRALADMINISTRATIVETRIBUNAL PRINCIPAL BENCH, NEW DELHI O.A. No. 3037/2024 Reserved on: 19.11.2025 Pronounced on: 15.12.2025 Hon’ble Mr. Manish Garg, Member (J)

Hon’ble Dr. Anand S. Khati, Member(A)

Mr. Vrindavan Bihari Meena S/o Shri Rameshwar Prasad Meena R/o Village-Chhoti Udai Khurd Tehsil- Wazirpur District-Sawai Madhopur Rajasthan-322202.

..Applicant (By Advocate: Mr. S.N. Sharma)

Versus

1. Union of India Ministry of Defence, Chairman, Defence Research & Development Organization, Centre for Personnel Talent Management Metcalfe House Complex New Delhi-110 054.

2. Defence Research and Development Organization Through Its Secretary Ministry of Defence J674, 6W6, Karta Path E Block Central Secretariat New Delhi-110011.

... Respondents (By Advocate: Mr. Vijendra Singh)

ORDER Hon’ble Dr. Anand S, Khati, Member (A) :

In the present Original Application (O.A.) filed under Section 19 of the Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985, the applicant has sought for the following reliefs:

“(i) Set aside the impugned orders dated 30.03.2023 & 7.2.2023 and also the impugned advertisement upto the extent of column no.1.1.3.

(ii) Declare that the Condition of disqualification of candidates possessing higher qualifications viz., M.Sc or B. Tech, or B.E, or Ph. D degree etc., pertains to only same Discipline for which the Candidates have applied and does not apply to higher qualification in other subject discipline.

OR IN ALTERNATIVE Declare/relax that rule that the "Candidates possessing the higher qualification viz. M.Sc, Ph.D, B. Tech, B.E Degree etc. shall not be considered for recruitment" as provided under sub rule (4) of Rule 5 of the Defence Research and Development Organization Technical Cadre Recruitment (Second Amendment) Rules, 2002 is arbitrary and violative of the provisions of the Constitution of India and consequently quash the same;

(iii) direct the Respondents to appoint the Applicant to the post of STA-

B under Defence Research And Development Organization Technical Cadre (DRTC) pursuant to his Application against the Advertisement dated 03.09.2022;

(iv) Award costs of the present Original Application in favour of the Applicant and against the Respondents; and (v) Pass any such other or further orders as this Hon'ble Tribunal may deem fit and proper on the facts and in the circumstances of the case, in favour of the Applicant and against the Respondents.”

2. The applicant is aggrieved by the rejection of his candidature, for the post of Senior Technical Assistant (STA)-B vide orders dated 07.02.2023 and 30.03.2023 as well as the impugned advertisement No. CEPTAM-10/DRTC for the said post to the extent of para nos.1.1.3, wherein it has been stated that the candidates possessing the higher qualification, viz. MSc, or B-tech or BE or PhD etc. as on crucial date of eligibility, shall not be considered for the recruitment. He is also aggrieved by the recruitment rules incorporated in sub-rule (4) of Rule 5 of DRDO Technical Cadre Recruitment (Second Amendment) Rules, 2002 stipulating the above condition.

3. It is submitted by the learned counsel for the applicant that pursuant to Advertisement No.CEPTAM-I0/DRTC published by the respondents in the Employment News dated 03-09.09.2022 inviting online applications for the post of STA-B under Defence Research and Development Organisation Technical Cadre (DRTC), the applicant duly filled and submitted the online application form and chosen ‘Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering’ as his subject discipline and attached his Diploma for the same. Under “Additional Qualifications”, he also mentioned about his qualification in B. Tech. Degree in Electrical Engineering, a subject discipline that he had not applied for. The applicant appeared in Tier-I and Tier-II CBTs (Computer Based Tests) held on 14.11.2022 and 12.01.2023, respectively, and was declared successful in both the exams. Thereafter, the applicant via email was invited to the office of the Director Admin in Bengaluru for further processing