JUDGMENT

SEN, J. :—The short point involved in this appeal by special leave pertains to the determination of age at a particular point of time. The question is whether the appellant, having his date of birth as January 2, 1956 had attained the age of 28 years on January 1, 1984 and was therefore disqualified from being considered for direct recruitment to the Rajasthan Administrative Service under R. 11B of the Rajasthan State and Subordinate Service, (Direct Recruitment by Competitive Examination) Rules, 1962 (for short the Rules).

2. Put very briefly, the essential facts are these. The Rajasthan Public Service Commission invited applications for direct recruitment to the Rajasthan Administrative, Service and allied services of the Government of Rajasthan by a competitive examination to be held in 1983. Under the directions issued by the Commission, the minimum age prescribed for candidates was 21 years and. the maximum 28 years. It was prescribed that the candidate should have attained the age of 21 years on January 1, 1984 and should not have attained the age of 28 years i.e. on the first day of January next following the last date fixed for receipt of application. The appellant