CAT asks Edu Dept to hold back joining letters of nine candidates

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 25

In an interim order, the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), has directed the UT Education Department, not to issue appointment letters for nine vacancies related to different categories of the Nursery Teacher Training (NTT).

The order came on a petition filed by nine candidates who were found ineligible during verification process by the department on grounds that they did not fulfil qualification as per the rules.

The Education Department had invited applications for 131 posts of the NTT in August and the written exam was conducted in November. Nine candidates, whose names figured in the merit list had approached the CAT and contended that they were declared ineligible by the department on the ground that their two-year NTT course was not from a institute recognised by the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE).

The petitioners argued that the department was misconstruing the provisions of rules to the detriment of applicants and that it was contrary to the aim and intention of qualification laid down in rules/instructions.

The applicants were allowed to participate in the selection process and were declared successful. However, they were informed that they did not fulfil requisite qualifications as provided in rule formulation at the time of verification process.

As per the petitioner’s claim, the candidates have cleared their educational qualification from the recognised boards and NTT training from recognised institutes.

The matter would come up for hearing on January 6 next year.

Know the case

• The Education Department had invited applications for 131 posts of the NTT in August and the written exam was conducted in November.
• Nine candidates, whose names figured in the merit list had approached the CAT and contended that they were declared ineligible by the department on the ground that their two-year NTT course was not from a institute recognised by the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE).
• The applicants were allowed to participate in the selection process and were declared successful. However, they were informed that they did not fulfil requisite qualifications as provided in rule formulation at the time of verification process.
• The matter would come up for hearing on January 6.