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COVID Age Relaxation in Appointments: What the Courts Say
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted countless recruitment processes across India, leading to delays in exams, notifications, and appointments. Many candidates, who were eligible at the time of initial advertisements, found themselves overage by the time selections resumed. This raised a critical question: Can candidates claim relaxation of age in appointments during COVID within the relevant period? Courts have addressed this extensively, balancing fairness with policy discretion. While some granted one-time relaxations, others upheld strict rules, emphasizing that age relaxation is not an automatic right.
This post analyzes key judgments, drawing from Supreme Court and High Court rulings. Note: This is general information based on case law; consult a legal expert for personalized advice, as outcomes depend on specific facts and rules.
Legal Principles Governing Age Relaxation
Age limits in recruitments are typically set by rules under Article 309 of the Constitution or executive orders. Courts generally hold that:
- Fixing cut-off dates is an executive discretion: The fixing of cut-off dates is within the domain of the executive authority. Courts intervene only if it's blatantly discriminatory and arbitrary [
Search Results for "COVID Age Relaxation in Appointments: Key Rulings"
2021 0 Supreme(SC) 166 • India - Supreme Court
D. Y. CHANDRACHUD, M R SHAH
and (d) in Babita Puniya (supra) to the officers of abovementioned batches, as a one-time benefit - Writ petitions are accordingly ... - Judgment of Delhi High Court and its directions- claim of absorption in areas of operation not open for recruitment of women officers ... cannot be sustained being a policy decision - Claim of absorption in areas of operation n....
2021 0 Supreme(SC) 260 • India - Supreme Court
A.M.KHANWILKAR, DINESH MAHESHWARI
unaided schools in State of Rajasthan – Act of 2016 applies to all schools within State of Rajasthan referred to in Section 2(t) ... by students during relevant period of academic year 2020-21 – School Management shall not debar any student from attending either ... period – Location of school is not the only factor that is to be taken into account – At the end,....
2024 0 Supreme(J&K) 294 • India - High Court of Jammu and Kashmir
RAHUL BHARTI, J
... ... Ratio Decidendi: The court ruled that treating unequals as equals violates the principle of equality enshrined in the Constitution ... violating Article 14 of the Constitution. ... ... ... Issues: Whether the imposition of a common written test for different sub-classes of Banking Associates constituted discrimination ... period.” ... Further, post August 2019 and in v....
2021 0 Supreme(Jhk) 116 • India - Jharkhand
RAJESH SHANKAR
This wholesale relaxation would make total uncertainty in determining the maximum age of a candidate and it might be unfair for large ... date was within the discretion of the rule-making authority. ... The fixing of cut-off dates is within the domain of the executive authority. ... got cancelled due to Covid....
2022 0 Supreme(Jhk) 45 • India - Jharkhand
RAVI RANJAN, SUJIT NARAYAN PRASAD
recruitment during the period 1983-89. ... Competitive Examination 2017, 2018 and 2019 in the State of Jharkhand, wherein suitable relaxation was given for computation of ... Be that as it may, the High Court was not justified in taking the clock back to the period when unfilled vacancies were existing ... recruitment #HL_STAR....
2023 0 Supreme(Mad) 2250 • India - Madras
S. VAIDYANATHAN, K. RAJASEKAR
The petitioners, fresh law graduates, and practicing advocates, sought relaxation due to the delay caused by the Covid-19 pandemic ... service examination due to the delay caused by the Covid-19 pandemic in enrolling as advocates. ... Age Relaxation - Judicial Service Examination - Tamil Nadu State Judicial Service (Cadre and Recruitment) Rules, 1995, G.O.Ms.No ... The petitioner / Sathiyamoorthy ....
2024 Supreme(Online)(MAD) 14696 • India - High Court of Madras
Honourable Mr Justice R. SURESH KUMAR
be accorded to those who served over 100 days during the COVID-19 pandemic in recruitment processes. ... mandating preference in recruitment for personnel with over 100 days of service during the pandemic, leading to their challenge ... Fact of the Case: The writ petitioners, Nurses during COVID-19, claimed non-regularizatio....
2021 0 Supreme(SC) 103 • India - Supreme Court
A. M. KHANWILKAR, INDU MALHOTRA, AJAY RASTOGI
candidates who appeared in various examinations in year during Covid 19 pandemic and everyone must have faced some constraints/impediments ... of examination in previous years since year and what is being claimed and prayed for under guise of Covid 19 pandemic is nothing ... Constitution of India,1950 - Article 14, 19, 29 , 21, 32 and 142 - Civil services examin....
2025 Supreme(Online)(CAT) 9279 • India - Central Administrative Tribunal
Urmita Datta, J, Suchitto Kumar Das, ACJ
appointment but they do have a limited right of being accorded fair and nondiscriminatory treatment". ... (A) Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985 - Section 19; Vacancy Notice for Nursing Officer dated 04.05.2023; Circulars/Orders relied ... cites a Supreme Court position: "if the candidature is not rejected at the threshold and the candidate is allowed to participate in ... such provision for grant of relaxation in age to those who had served #HL_STAR....
2024 Supreme(Online)(DEL) 3266 • India - High Court of Delhi
SURESH KUMAR KAIT, GIRISH KATHPALIA, JJ
the consideration of COVID-19 service in recruitment. ... and age relaxation for recruitment - Tribunal dismissed claims citing lack of Regularization Rules and reliance on Supreme Court's ... for preference in recruitment for health professionals who served during the pandemic, which was not considered by the Tribunal. ... them preferences in ....
2024 0 Supreme(All) 1220 • India - Allahabad
PRAKASH PADIA
Lucknow or competent authority with the State Government within three weeks from today for granting relaxation in age regarding his appointment on compassionate ground. ... within a period of two months from the date of receipt of certified copy of this order and in the event petitioner's claim is found to be genuine and petitioner is held entitled to compassionate appointment, he shall be offered compassionate appointment within th....
2024 0 Supreme(All) 1215 • India - Allahabad
PRAKASH PADIA
Lucknow or competent authority with the State Government within three weeks from today for granting relaxation in age regarding his appointment on compassionate ground. ... within a period of two months from the date of receipt of certified copy of this order and in the event petitioner's claim is found to be genuine and petitioner is held entitled to compassionate appointment, he shall be offered compassionate appointment within th....
2026 Supreme(Online)(CAT) 782 • India - Central Administrative Tribunal
, can seek age relaxation as per the norms provided under this para. ... Rule 5 of the Ex-servicemen (Re-employment) Rules, 1979 unequivocally provides that: "For appointment to any vacancy in Central Civil Services Group 'C' and Group 'D', every ex-serviceman shall be allowed to deduct the period of such service from his actual age and ... While age relaxation pertains to the upper age limit for eligibility, the requirement that an Ex- Serviceman mu....
2024 Supreme(Online)(KER) 38196 • India - High Court of Kerala
Ziyad Rahman A. A, J
In the meantime, the Government issued an Ext.P8 order on 28.09.2021 granting relaxation of the age limit of teaching staff for a period of one year. ... In Ext.P11 order, even though the factual contentions raised by the petitioner with regard to the declaration of the area as the containment zone, the delay of 52 days in issuing the appointment order occurring due to Covid-19 pandemic, the fact that the petitioner was within the age limit at the time ... the #HL_STA....
2024 Supreme(Online)(Ker) 78600 • India - IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM
In the meantime, the Government issued an Ext.P8 order on 28.09.2021 granting relaxation of the age limit of teaching staff for a period of one year. ... In Ext.P11 order, even though the factual contentions raised by the petitioner with regard to the declaration of the area as the containment zone, the delay of 52 days in issuing the appointment order occurring due to Covid-19 pandemic, the fact that the petitioner was within the age limit at the time ... It is also ....
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