GAHC010224702025 undefined THE GAUHATI HIGH COURT (HIGH COURT OF ASSAM, NAGALAND, MIZORAM AND ARUNACHAL PRADESH)

Case No. : WP(C)/6102/2025 GAURAB DUTTA S/O- DILIP KUMAR DUTTA, R/O- RANI BAGAN HOUSING COMPLEX, PASUPATI APARTMENTS, FLAT NO-101, BELTOLA TINIALI, BELTOLA , GUWAHATI, KAMRUP (M), ASSAM VERSUS INDIAN OIL CORPORATION LIMITED REP. BY ITS CHAIRMAN CUM MANAGING DIRECTOR, INDIAN OIL BHAWAN, LODHI ROAD, NEW DELHI-11

2:THE GENERAL MANAGER (HUMAN RESOURCE DEPARTMENT)

INDIAN OIL CORPORATION LIMITED SADIQ NAGAR NEW DELHI-49

3:ASSOCIATION OF INDIAN UNIVERSITIES REP. BY ITS SECRETARY GENERAL AIU HOUSE COMRADE INDRAJIT GUPTA MARG NEW DELHI-0 Advocate for the Petitioner : , MR C GARG,MR D BHARDWAJ Advocate for the Respondent : SC, I O C, BEFORE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE N. UNNI KRISHNAN NAIR

ORDER

Date : 28.04.2026 Heard Mr. C Garg, Learned Counsel for the Petitioner. Also heard Mr. N Goswami, Learned Counsel appearing for the Respondents.

2. The Petitioner, in the present Writ Petition, has presented a challenge to a decision, contained in a communication dated 24.04.2025, issued by the General Manager (Talent Accusation) of the Respondent No. 1/Corporation, rejecting the candidature of the petitioner against the post of Marketing Professionals, as advertised in the year 2017. The Petitioner has also prayed for a further direction, upon the Respondent authorities, to select and appoint the petitioner against the post of Marketing Professional, by reckoning the qualification possessed by him, to be equivalent to the advertised qualification.

3. As projected in the Writ Petition, the Respondent No. 1/Corporation had issued an advertisement for recruitment of Marketing Professionals, through UGC-NET examination, 2017, against the post of Marketing Officers. The Petitioner, herein, who had completed a course of “Post Graduate Diploma in Global Business Operations” from Shri Ram College of Commerce, a constituent College under the University of Delhi, submitted his candidature against the said advertisement. The Petitioner, having qualified UGC-NET examination, was issued with a call letter, for appearing in the next round of interview. Accordingly, the Petitioner appeared for the interview segment of the selection process, which was held on 12.05.2018. The results of the selection process came to be, thereafter, declared on 01.09.2018. However, the name of the Petitioner was withheld, by projecting that there was a necessity for receiving clarification from the concerned authorities. The Respondent authorities, vide communication dated 10.01.2019, had informed the petitioner that his results for the recruitment exercise is being withheld for want of clarification, as to whether the Post Graduate Diploma in Global Business Operations Programme is equivalent to Master’s in Business Administration (Marketing), or not.

4. It is seen from the materials brought on record that the Respondent No. 1/Corporation had approached the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), vide a communication dated 26.07.2008, to receive instructions, as to whether the Post Graduate Diploma Programme offered by Shri Ram College of Commerce, University of Delhi, has been declared as equivalent to a 2 (Two) year full time Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) Programme, approved by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU). It is seen that in response to the said communication, the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), vide communication dated 03.08.2018, required the respondent Corporation to get in touch with the Registrar, University of Delhi, to receive information, with regard to the status of Post Graduate Diploma in Global Business Operations Programme, conducted by Shri Ram College of Commerce, University of Delhi. Accordingly, the Respondent No. 1/Corporation approached the Registrar, University of Delhi, vide communication dated 13.09.2018, for receiving information, as to whether the Post-Graduate Diploma Programme in Global Business Operations, wa