The Directorate of Teachers Education, Vs S.Uma — Madras HC (2025) — LawSathi Research

The Directorate of Teachers Education, Vs S.Uma — Madras HC (2025) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

None to the appellants; the order of the learned Single Judge in W.P. No.28670 of 2016 dated 06.04.2022 is left undisturbed, with no order as to costs, and the connected Miscellaneous Petition C.M.P.No.767 of 2023 is closed.

Issue for consideration

Whether, at this stage, the equivalence of the PUC qualification obtained by the respondent in Karnataka with the Tamil Nadu Teacher Training Certificate could be re-examined for her appointment as a Secondary Grade Teacher. +2 more

Ratio / Principle

This Court agrees with the view taken by the learned Single Judge, taking into account the passage of time and the long, uninterrupted service rendered by the respondent; consequently there is no reason to interfere with the well-reasoned order passed by the learned Single Judge.

Key takeaways

The Writ Appeal is dismissed with no order as to costs, and the connected Miscellaneous Petition (C.M.P.No.767 of 2023) is closed.ratio¶39

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Madras High Court (Division Bench: R. Suresh Kumar and Dr. A.D. Maria Clete, JJ.), judgment delivered by Dr. A.D. Maria Clete, J., 18.03.2025 - Writ Appeal under Clause 15 of the Letters Patent by education department authorities against the learned Single Judge's order in W.P. No.28670 of 2016 dated 06.04.2022. The respondent, appointed as a Secondary Grade Teacher on 30.10.1996, faced a show cause notice proposing termination on the ground that her Karnataka PUC qualification was not equivalent to the Tamil Nadu Teacher Training Certificate; she continued in service for nearly 28 years under interim orders of the erstwhile Tamil Nadu Administrative Tribunal and this Court, and subsequently acquired a B.Lit. (Tamil) degree and B.Ed. qualification, which the appellants contended made her overqualified and not equivalent to the required training certificate. Agreeing with the learned Single Judge that re-examination of equivalence was not open at this stage, and mindful of the passage of time and the respondent's long, uninterrupted service, the Division Bench found no reason to interfere and dismissed the Writ Appeal with no order as to costs, closing the connected C.M.P.No.767 of 2023.

W.A.No.83 of 2023

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

DATED: 18.03.2025

CORAM:

THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE R.SURESH KUMAR and THE HONOURABLE DR.JUSTICE A.D.MARIA CLETE

W.A.No.83 of 2023 and

C.M.P.No.767 of 2023

1.The Directorate of Teachers Education, Training & Research Institute, College Road, Chennai -6.

2.The District Elementary Educational Officer, Vellore District, Vellore.

3.The Additional Assistant Elementary Educational Officer, Kaniyambadi, Vellore-4.

4.The Head Master, Panchayat Union Elementary School, Kilarasampattu, Kaniyambadi Panchayat Union, Vellore District. ... Appellants

Vs.

S.Uma, W/o.V.Ramamurthy,

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W.A.No.83 of 2023

Secondary Grade Teacher, Arasampattu Elementary School, Kaniyambadi Panchayat Union, Vellore District. ... Respondent

PRAYER : Writ Appeal filed under Clause 15 of the Letters Patent against the order passed in W.P. No.28670 of 2016 dated 06.04.2022.

For Appellants : Mr. J.C. Durairaj, Additional Government Pleader.

For Respondent : Mr. M. Muthappan.

J U D G M E N T (Delivered by Dr. A.D. Maria Clete, J)

This Writ Appeal is preferred against the order dated 06.04.2022 passed by

the learned single Judge in W.P. No. 28670 of 2016.

The respondent entered into service as a Secondary Grade Teacher on 30.10.1996 by virtue of the proceedings of the second appellant. After two years, her recruitment was questioned on the ground that the PUC qualification obtained by her in the State of Karnataka was not equivalent to the Teacher Training

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W.A.No.83 of 2023

Certificate recognized in the State of Tamil Nadu. Consequently, a show cause notice was issued proposing termination from service.

From 1998 till date, the respondent has continued in service owing to interim orders passed either by the erstwhile Tamil Nadu Administrative Tribunal or by this Court. As of now, the respondent has completed nearly 28 years of service, yet the uncertainty regarding her service continues to loom over her.

The learned Single Judge, held that at this stage it is not open for the Court to re-examine the issue of equivalence of the PUC qualification obtained by the respondent in Karnataka with that of the Tamil Nadu Teacher Training Certificate.

It is an admitted fact that the respondent has subsequently acquired a B.Lit. (Tamil) degree and a B.Ed. Qualification.

It is the contention of the appellants that these subsequent qualifications render the respondent overqualified for the post of Secondary Grade Teacher. They further contend that the higher qualifications acquired during the pendency of the proceedings cannot be considered as equivalent to the Tamil Nadu Teacher

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Training Certificate, particularly because the respondent has not undergone the requisite two-year teacher training course.

We find ourselves in agreement with the view taken by the learned Single Judge, taking into account the passage of time and the long, uninterrupted service rendered by the respondent.

In view of the above, we find no reason to interfere with the well-reasoned order passed by the learned Single Judge.

Accordingly, the Writ Appeal stands dismissed. There shall be no order as to costs. Consequently, the connected Miscellaneous petition is closed.

(R.S.K., J) (A.D.M.C., J) 18.03.2025

ay Index: Yes/No Neutral Citation: Yes/No Speaking Order / Non-Speaking Order

To

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W.A.No.83 of 2023

1.The Directorate of Teachers Education, Training & Research Institute, College Road, Chennai -6.

2.The District Elementary Educational Officer, Vellore District, Vellore.

3.The Additional Assistant Elementary Educationl Officer, Kaniyambadi, Vellore-4.

4.The Head Master, Panchayat Union Elementary School, Kilarasampattu, Kaniyambadi Panchayat Union, Vellore District.

5.The Section Officer, VR Section, High Court of Madras, Chennai.

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R.SURESH KUMAR, J and DR. A.D. MARIA CLETE, J

ay

W.A. No. 83 of 2023

and C.M.P.No.767 of 2023

18.03.2025

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W.A.No.83 of 2023

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