Ritika Sareen and Others vs State of Punjab and Others

Tejinder Singh Dhindsa, J.—The petitioners who possess the qualification of degree of Bachelor of Library Science have approached this Court being aggrieved of the action of the respondent-authorities in not considering them eligible for the post of School Librarian under the Education Department (Secondary Education) Punjab. It was submitted on behalf of the petitioners that the Subordinate Services Selection Board, State of Punjab had issued advertisement dated 03.11.2012 (Annexure P-2) inviting applications for filling up various posts including 72 posts of School Librarians. The educational qualifications prescribed for the post of School Librarian was 10+2 from any recognized board/university and the technical qualification prescribed was for a candidate to have qualified the two years diploma in Library Science from a recognized institution. The precise grievance raised was that even though the petitioners possess the higher qualifications than the prescribed essential qualifications, yet they were being denied consideration for appointment to the post in question.

Learned counsel appearing for the State in the connected petitions has filed in Court a short affidavit of the Director, Public Instructions (Secondary Education) Punjab. Appended along with the reply is memo dated 05.08.2013 at Annexure R-I issued from the office of Director, Public Instructions (Secondary Education) Punjab and redressed to the Secretary, Subordinate Services Selection Board, SAS Nagar in terms of which, it has been decided that all such candidates, who possess the higher qualification of Bachelor of Library Science or Master of Library Science would now be considered eligible for the post of School Librarian. In the short affidavit, it is further submitted that the selection process that had been initiated in the light of advertisement dated 03.11.2012 issued by the Subordinate Selection Board has not been completed and accordingly, a public notice would now be issued so as to give a chance to all the petitioners as also other similarly situated candidates, who possess higher qualifications than the prescribed minimum to compete in the process of selection for the post of School Librarian.

In the light of such categoric stand taken on behalf of the State, the grievance of the petitioners stands redressed and the writ petition is accordingly disposed of as infructuous. Disposed of.