The writ petitioners were appointed as management Information System Specialist (MIS Specialist) in a Central Government Sponsored Project by name Rajiv Gandhi Panchayat Sashakthikaran Abhiyan (RGPSA) under the Ministry of Panchayats Raj for strengthening Panchayat Raj System. They were appointed through a Nodal Officer appointed by the State Government under the directorate of Panchayath. The above project was restructured and was renamed as Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA). The petitioners were appointed pursuant to Ext.P1 notification on 20/5/2014. They were allotted with assignments to separate Revenue Districts in the State. The qualification prescribed for MIS specialist in Ext.P1 was Post Graduation in Computer Science/Statistics /Economics or MBA (System) or MCA. Subsequently, the petitioners along with others were terminated from service by Ext.P2 order dated 26/6/2019. It was challenged before this Court in W.P.(C) No.17714/2019. By Ext.P3, the termination was set aside and the petitioners were permitted to continue till alternate arrangements were made. The Central Government had issued guidelines regarding the manner in which RGSA project has to be implemented . As per the guidelines, relevant experience, expertise, qualifications and responsibilities of MIS specialists should be prescribed as per the norms approved by the State Executive Committee (SEC) to be constituted by the State Government.

2. Pursuant to Ext.P3 judgment, SEC in their meeting held in

6/1/2020 evidenced by Ext.P4 minutes decided to restructure the manner of implementation of RGSA project. It was also resolved to constitute a technical sub committee to frame new structure for the implementation of RGSA project . The report of the technical sub committee submitted to the third respondent is Ext.P5. The Government considered the proposal and by Ext.P6 order dated 20/11/2020, accepted the proposal. The qualification proposed in Ext.P5 and P6 was B.Tech.Computer Science. By Ext.P7 order, the above qualification was modified as B.Tech Computer Science /IT or MBA in system management (age below 45 years). Pursuant to the above, notification inviting application on the basis of Ext.P7 was issued as Ext.P8.

3. Contending that the qualification prescribed by Exts.P6, P7 and P8 excluding MCA/M.Sc. (Computer Science)/Statistics/Economics/ Information Technology from the purview of the selection, deviating from the qualifications prescribed in Ext.P1, is illegal, arbitrary and unsustainable in law, the petitioners have approached this court. The writ petition is filed seeking relief to quash Ext.P6, P7 and P8 orders, to declare that exclusion of MCA/M.sc.(Computer Science)/Statistics/Economics/Information Technology graduates from the purview of selection, amounts to arbitrariness as there was no change in the scope of MIS specialist and for a further relief to declare that exclusion of MCA/M.Sc. candidates from the purview of selection was only to exclude the petitioners from submitting the application, as they held the decrees in the said discipline.

4. Pursuant to the notice, respondents appeared and filed a counter affidavit on behalf of the second respondent.

5. According to the respondents, under the project of RGSA, a programme Management Unit ( PMU) has to be set up in State and District Level to implement and monitor the project as per the guidelines. The PMU at the State level will coordinate the entire activities and give overall leadership vision and policy level interventions. District Level PMUs will feed necessary support in the area of Management Information System (MIS), public works and will ensure smooth function of RGSA activities. Ext.P1 notification was issued by the State Nodal Officer ( RGSA) stipulating the specific qualifications decided and approved by a committee constituted under that purpose. It was stated that as per the revised guidelines of RGSA, the PMU shall contain experts in the field of planning,training, econom