IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB & HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH

241 Date of decision: December 03, 2025 KULDEEP ...Petitioner Versus STATE OF HARYANA AND OTHERS ...Respondents CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE TRIBHUVAN DAHIYA Present: Mr. Surender Pal, Advocate for the petitioner.

Mr. Aakash Singla, Additional Advocate General, Haryana.

TRIBHUVAN DAHIYA, J. (ORAL)

The petition has been filed inter alia seeking a writ of mandamus directing the respondents to consider the petitioner for appointment on merit against the post of Desktop Publisher Operator (Theory), category no.43, and Litho Offset Machine Minder Instructor (Theory), category no.57, against advertisement 12/2019 published on

20.07.2019.

2. Learned counsel for the petitioner contended that respondent no.2 advertised the aforementioned posts and conducted a Common Entrance Test. The petitioner was applicant for both the posts and cleared the Test as well. He was called for document verification and his documents were found in order. However, his roll number did not figure in the final selection result dated 12.09.2022, Annexure P-14. The detailed result for both the posts was uploaded by the Commission on 13.09.2022, Annexures P-15 and P-16 respectively, wherein the petitioner was declared ineligible. He sought information under the Right to Information Act, 2005, regarding the reasons for not considering him eligible. As per the Commission’s response dated 12.10.2022, Annexure P-17, it was due to experience less than one year against both the posts, though he had secured 68 marks, as against 72 secured by the last selected candidate, and 64 by the last waitlisted candidate. Accordingly, the petitioner found a place in the waiting list on merit, but for ineligibility.

2.1. Essential qualifications for these two posts as notified in the advertisement are as under:

Essential Qualification for the post of Desktop Publisher Operator (Theory):-

(i) All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) recognized Bachelor degree in Engineering/Technology or its equivalent in Printing Technology from AICTE recognized institution/university or Institutions established by Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), Government of India, on full time regular mode basis, with one year practical/teaching experience.

Essential Qualification for the post of Litho Offset Machine Minder Instructor (Theory):-

(i) All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) recognized Bachelor degree in Engineering/Technology or its equivalent in Printing Technology from AICTE recognized institution/university or Institutions established by Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), Government of India, on full time regular mode basis, with one year practical/teaching experience.

2.2. The petitioner acquired B.Tech in Printing Technology degree on 12.07.2017, Annexure P-2. He claimed to have the requisite experience also, by working as Trainee Printing Executive in A.S. Packers pursuant to offer of appointment dated 15.06.2017, Annexure P-4. Experience certificate to that effect was issued to him on 14.12.2017, Annexure P-5, certifying that he worked as such in the company from 15.06.2017 to 14.12.2017. Thereafter, on clearing a test, he was appointed as Printing Executive in the same company with effect from 15.12.2017 and worked as such till 06.12.2018. A certificate to that effect was separately issued by the company dated 07.12.2018, Annexure P-6. While filling up the application form, the petitioner uploaded these three letters/certificates to show that he had the requisite practical experience for the posts in question. The Commission, however, considered only the experience as Printing Executive from 15.12.2017 to 06.12.2018, and that being short of nine days to one year, declared him ineligible.

2.3. In these circumstances, the petitioner approached this Court. The Department filed a written statement, dated 23.08.2023, stating that the Department had constituted a Committee to decide as to whether the petitioner’