A.Arivazhagan Vs the Secretary — Writ and Judicial Review | Madras HC (2025)

A.Arivazhagan Vs the Secretary — Writ and Judicial Review | Madras HC (2025)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Disposed

Issue for consideration

Whether Clause 2.E and Clause 4.1.C of Notification No.001/RC/UD-FR/PR 10 & 20/2020 – 1 dated 30.09.2020, which mandate Ph.D qualification as an eligibility criterion for applying to the post of Assistant Professor, are contrary to the University Grants Commission Regulations and liable to be quashed by writ of certiorarified mandamus. +1 more

Ratio / Principle

After hearing both sides and perusing the materials, the Court found that nothing survived in the writ petition for further adjudication (following the standing counsel's statement that all 26 notified Assistant Professor posts had been filled), and accordingly closed the writ petition without adjudicating the merits of the impugned clauses, imposing no costs on the parties.

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Madras High Court (Hon'ble Mrs. Justice N. Mala, J.), W.P.No.15374 of 2020 (with W.M.P.Nos.19231 to 19233 of 2020), decided 16.07.2025 — Writ petition under Article 226 of Constitution of India seeking a writ of certiorarified mandamus to quash Clause 2.E and Clause 4.1.C of Notification No.001/RC/UD-FR/PR 10 & 20/2020 – 1 dated 30.09.2020 issued by the Registrar, Anna University (third respondent), which mandated Ph.D qualification as an eligibility criterion for the post of Assistant Professor, alleged by the petitioner (a Scheduled Caste, first-generation graduate holding a Master's degree in Geology and qualified in the SET) to be contrary to the University Grants Commission Regulations, which allow NET/SLET/SET-qualified candidates without a Ph.D; petitioner also sought direction that his application be received for the Assistant Professor post (Science and Humanities Branch). Learned standing counsel for the third respondent stated that 26 Assistant Professor posts had been notified and that all vacant posts were filled. Hearing both sides, the Honourable Justice held that nothing survived in the writ petition for further adjudication and closed it, with 'No costs'; the compliance or otherwise of the impugned clauses with the UGC Regulations was left undecided. No precedent was cited or engaged with in the order.

W.P.No.15374 of 2020

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

DATED : 16.07.2025

CORAM :

THE HONOURABLE MRS. JUSTICE N.MALA

Writ Petition No.15374 of 2020 and W.M.P.Nos.19231 to 19233 of 2020

A.Arivazhagan ... Petitioner

Vs.

1.The Secretary, University Grants Commission (UGC), Bhadur Shah Zagar Marg, New Delhi – 110 002.

2.The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), Rep. by the Regional Officer and Assistant Director, Shastri Bhawan,

26 Haddows Road,

Chennai – 600 006.

3.The Registrar, Anna University,

Chennai – 600 025. … Respondents

Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of Constitution of India, praying

for issuance of Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus calling for the records pertaining to the Impugned Clause 2.E and Clause 4.1.C which mandates Ph.D qualification, as eligible criteria for applying to the post of Assistant

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W.P.No.15374 of 2020

Professor, in the Notification No.001/RC/UD-FR/PR 10 & 20/2020 – 1 dated

30.09.2020, issued by the third respondent, and quash the same, as the same is contrary to the University Grants Commission Regulations, and further direct the third respondent to receive application from the petitioner, as the petitioner is eligible to apply as per the UGC Regulations, for the post of Assistant Professor in the Science and Humanities Branch.

For Petitioner : Mr.R.Bharath Kumar

For Respondent 1 : Mr.C.Jayaprakash, Government Advocate For Respondent 2 : MB.Rabu Manohar

For Respondents 3 : Mr.Bharanidharan, Standing Counsel

O R D E R

This writ petition has been filed to call for the for the records pertaining to the Impugned Clause 2.E and Clause 4.1.C which mandates Ph.D qualification, as eligible criteria for applying to the post of Assistant Professor, in the Notification No.001/RC/UD-FR/PR 10 & 20/2020 – 1 dated 30.09.2020, issued by the third respondent, and quash the same, as the same

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W.P.No.15374 of 2020

is contrary to the University Grants Commission Regulations, and further direct the third respondent to receive application from the petitioner, as the petitioner is eligible to apply as per the UGC Regulations, for the post of Assistant Professor in the Science and Humanities Branch.

Learned counsel for the petitioner would submit that The petitioner belongs to a Scheduled Caste community from a remote village in Cuddalore District and is the first graduate in his family, having overcome significant economic hardships. He holds a Master’s degree in Geology and has qualified the State Eligibility Test (SET), making him eligible for appointment as Assistant Professor under the UGC Regulations. However, he was unable to apply for the post of Assistant Professor in the Department of Geology at Anna University, as per the Notification dated 30.09.2020, due to the impugned clauses 2.E and 4.1.b, which mandated a Ph.D. qualification and one-year post-Ph.D. experience, criteria that are contrary to the UGC Regulations which allow NET/SLET/SET qualified candidates to be considered eligible without a Ph.D. Hence, this case.

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W.P.No.15374 of 2020

Learned standing counsel appearing for the third respondent would

submit that 26 posts were notified for the post of Assistant Professor and per

the notification, all the vacant posts were filed.

Heard the learned counsel on either side and perused the materials available on record

In view of the above, nothing survives in this writ petition for further adjudication and the same is closed. No costs.

16.07.2025

Index : Yes/No Speaking Order : Yes/No Neutral Citation : Yes/No To:

1.The Secretary, University Grants Commission (UGC), Bhadur Shah Zagar Marg, New Delhi – 110 002.

2.The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), Rep. by the Regional Officer and Assistant Director, Shastri Bhawan, 26 Haddows Road, Chennai – 600 006.

3.The Registrar,

Anna University, Chennai – 600 025.

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W.P.No.15374 of 2020

N.MALA,J.

Vm/tsh

W.P.No.15374 of 2020

16.07.2025

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