Consider Saini caste in OBC category: CAT tells UT Admn

Tribune News Service

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Chandigarh, October 24

In a recent order, the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has directed the UT Administration to consider the case of the applicant (Saini caste) in the OBC category after a candidate with this caste was asked to apply in the General category.

The CAT has issued directions to the UT Administration and the DPI Schools to consider the claim of the applicant.

The applicant, Rajesh Kumar of Jind in Haryana, stated that he belongs to Saini caste, which falls in the category of the OBC (Other Backward Classes) list of state of Haryana and also falls in the Central list of the Other Backward Classes for Chandigarh issued in 1999. Hence being eligible, he applied for the post of the TGT science (Medical) in the OBC category against an advertisement issued in September-October 2014 to fill 548 posts of Masters/Mistresses (TGT) on a regular basis.

After the verification of the original documents, a discrepancy list dated June 17, 2015 was issued by showing the discrepancies in the column of remarks /comments against the names of the candidates.

Against the name of the applicant in illegal remark/comment was written vide which the category of the applicant has been changed from the OBC to General with an illegal remark/comment that the caste Saini notified in UT list after the last date of application submission and further the applicant has been declared an overage. The said action was challenged by the applicant before the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT).

“Keeping in view the observations of the High Court in the order dated August 14, 2015, Saini caste has to be held eligible for the benefit of reservation as the OBC category up to March 26, 2015, and beyond when the permanent body took a decision to include the caste also as one of the OBC categories. Hence, the contention of the UT Administration that on the date of the submission of application for recruitment as TGT ‘Saini’ caste was not included as the OBC category is without merit and is rejected. Relief claimed by the applicant is allowed and the respondents are directed to treat the applicant as belonging to the Other Backward Classes category and his claim for appointment may be considered in this light,” read the Central Administrative Tribunal order.