IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS DATED: 25-02-2026 CORAM THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE M.DHANDAPANI and WMP Nos.4429 and 4431 of 2026 S.Gayatridevi W/o.K.R.Krishna No.37, South street, Nethaji Nagar Thiruvanmiyur Chennai-600 041 ..Petitioner Vs

1. The Joint Director DPI office Chennai-600 006

2. The Chief Educational officer Egmore Chennai-600 008.

3. The District Educational officer Central chennai Saidapet Chennai-600 015. 4. The Secretary Kesari Higher secondary School Chennai-600 004 ..Respondents Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of Constitution of India, to issue a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus, calling for the entire records pertaining to the impugned order issued by the 3rd respondent in Na.Ka.No.4590/A6/2023 dated 3.4.2025 and to quash the same and consequently, to direct the respondents 1 to 3 to approve the promotion of the petitioner as P.G Assistant Hindi, with effect from 1.6.2023 with all consequential monetary benefits.

For Petitioner(s): Mr.T.Sellapandian For Respondent(s): Mrs.Mythreye Chandru Special Government Pleader

ORDER

This petition has been filed challenging the impugned order issued by the

3rd respondent on 3.4.2025 and consequently seeking a direction to the respondents 1 to 3 to approve the promotion of the petitioner as P.G Assistant (Hindi) with effect from 1.6.2023 together with all consequential monetary benefits.

2. The case of the petitioner is that she completed X Standard in 1981 and XII Standard in 1983 under the Board of Intermediate, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh. She obtained her B.Sc. (Chemistry) from Nagarjuna University in 1986 and B.Ed. from Annamalai University in 1994. Thereafter, she joined the

4th respondent school as a Secondary Grade Teacher and was promoted as Junior Grade B.T. Assistant (Science) on 05.01.2004, which promotion was duly approved on 12.01.2004. The petitioner acquired the degree of Rashtrabhasha Praveen in 2006 from Dakshina Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha, Madras, and subsequently obtained M.A. Hindi from Madurai Kamaraj University in 2011. She was further promoted as P.G. Assistant (Hindi) on 01.06.2023, and the 4th respondent forwarded the proposal to the 2nd respondent for approval of her promotion. However, the 2nd respondent has not passed any orders on the said proposal till date. Her SSLC and XII certificates were sent by the 4th respondent to the Controller of Examinations, Board of Intermediate Education, Andhra Pradesh, Tadepalli, Guntur, for verification. By proceedings dated 10.08.2021 and 11.07.2022, the Controller certified that the certificates are genuine. Subsequently, by proceedings dated 02.09.2024, the 3rd respondent issued an equivalence certificate declaring that her SSLC obtained in Andhra Pradesh is equivalent to the SSLC issued by the Director of Government Examinations, Tamil Nadu. However, by order dated 03.04.2025, the 3rd respondent held that her XII Standard certificate is not equivalent to that issued by the Directorate of Government Examinations, Tamil Nadu, on the ground that she had secured 32.5% in English, which is below the minimum of 35%. It is submitted that under the rules prevailing in Andhra Pradesh, a candidate securing 30% marks in each paper and 35% marks in aggregate in one attempt is declared as having passed the XII examination. Based on this qualification, the petitioner pursued and completed her B.Sc. (Chemistry), which has already been recognized as equivalent by the State of Tamil Nadu. For the post of P.G. Assistant (Hindi), the required qualification is a U.G. and P.G. degree in Hindi. The petitioner has duly acquired Rashtrabhasha Praveen in 2006, which is equivalent to a U.G. degree, and M.A. Hindi in 2011. Therefore, respondents 2 and 3 are bound to approve her appointment as P.G. Assistant (Hindi) with effect from 01.06.2023. The petitioner is due to retire from service on 21.07.2026. Challenging the impugned order of the 3rd respondent dated 03.04.2025, the present writ petition has been filed.

3.The learned