IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

DATED : 03.11.2025

CORAM

THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE G.K.ILANTHIRAIYAN

1.Dr.R.Ayyappan 2.Dr.C.Kumaran

3.Dr.T.Rajesh

4.Dr.L.Marimuthu

5.Dr.S.Agila .... Petitioners

Vs

1.State of Tamil Nadu,

Represented by the Secretary to Government,

Higher Education Department,

Fort St.George,

Chennai-600009.

2.The Commissioner of Collegiate Education,

577, Anna Salai,

Saidapet,

Chennai-600 015.

3.The Secretary,

Teachers Recruitment Board,

4th Floor, EVK Sampath Maaligai,

DPI Campus, Nungambakkam,

Chennai-600 006. .... Respondents

Prayer:- Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of Constitution of India for the issuance of Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus, calling for the entire records connected with the impugned Notification No.04/2025 dated 16.10.2025 issued by the third respondent inviting applications for direct

recruitment of 2708 posts of Assistant Professor and quash the same and consequently, direct the third respondent to first complete the process of selection and appointment of Guest Lecturers to the 1146 posts of Assistant Professor as per the direction/order dated 20.03.2024 passed by this Court in W.P.No.7110 of 2024, within a time frame fixed by this Court.

For Petitioner : Ms.S.Sathya Chandran For Respondents : Mr.M.Suresh Kumar Additional Advocate General Assisted by Mr.A.Selvendran Special Government Pleader For R1 and R2 Mr.C.Kathiravan Standing Counsel For R3

ORDER

This Writ Petition has been filed challenging the notification dated

16.10.2025 issued by the third respondent thereby inviting application for direct recruitment of 2708 posts of Assistant Professors.

2. These writ petitioners are working as Guest Lecturers in Thiru.Vi.Ka. Government Arts College, Tiruvarur from the year 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2010. They are eligible in all aspects prescribed by the University Grants Commission to be appointed as Assistant Professors. Though the process of regularization of their appointment as Assistant Professors as against 1146 regular post were initiated from the month of February, 2021, the third respondent issued notification to recruit to the post of Assistant Professors including 1146 posts in total 4000 posts. The said Notification in G.O.Ms.No.247 and G.O.Ms.No.248 dated 08.11.2022, were challenged before this Court in WP No.7110 of 2024. This Court allowed the writ petition by order dated

20.03.2024 and relevant portion of the order is as follows:

“9. In view of the above, the impugned order in GO.Ms.No.248 Higher Education (F2) Department dated 08.11.2022 is quashed insofar as ordered to notify 1146 vacancies which were earmarked for regular absorption of eligible Guest Lecturers as per G.O.Ms.No.56 Higher Education (F2) Department dated 21.03.2020. The respondents are directed to continue the selected process to fill up 1146 posts of Assistant Professors in accordance with the earlier order passed in G.O.Ms.No.56 Higher Education (F2) Department dated 21.03.2020 based on the selection process already initiated and processed by the proceedings of the second respondent dated 12.02.2021 and complete the same within a period of twelve weeks from the date of receipt of copy of this order.”

3. Challenging the same, the respondents filed appeals in WA No.1199 of 2025 etc. batch and the Hon’ble Division Bench of this Court by order dated 26.06.2025, directed the respondents to keep 1146 posts earmarked for regular absorptions for Guest Lecturers vacant and for the remaining posts, the selection process can go on. In pursuant to the impugned order passed by the Hon’ble Division Bench, the third respondent issued notification dated 16.10.2025 inviting applications for direct recruitment for the post of 2708 posts of Assistant Professor. 4. Learned counsel for the petitioner would submit that without regularizing the post of the petitioners to the post of Assistant Professor, the third respondent issued notification inviting applications to fill up the post of Assistant Professors.

5. The learned Additional Advocat