In a significant ruling impacting technical education qualifications for government jobs, the Uttarakhand High Court has clarified the equivalence of a three-year diploma after high school. A division bench has set aside a previous order, providing relief to a candidate whose selection was rejected on educational grounds.
Court Overturns Single Bench Order on Qualification
A division bench comprising Chief Justice G Narendar and Justice Subhash Upadhyay of the Uttarakhand High Court delivered the verdict on December 19. The bench set aside a single bench's order from November 14, establishing a crucial precedent. The court ruled that a three-year diploma obtained from a polytechnic after completing high school (10th standard) is indeed equivalent to an intermediate qualification for the specific post of foreman instructor.
The Case of Petitioner Sachin Kumar
The matter reached the court through a petition filed by Sachin Kumar. Kumar had participated in a selection process conducted by the Uttarakhand Public Service Commission (UKPSC) for the post of foreman instructor. The recruitment advertisement was issued on October 20, 2023.
The advertised educational criteria required candidates to have passed intermediate plus a two-year diploma in a relevant engineering trade, along with ten years of teaching experience at a reputed industrial institute.
Kumar's educational profile includes a three-year diploma in mechanical engineering after his 10th standard and a BTech (Mechanical) degree from Uttarakhand Technical University. Despite his name appearing on the list of successful candidates after the written examination, his candidature was rejected during document verification.
An order dated October 29, 2025, stated he did not possess the requisite educational qualification.
State Government Notification Was Key
Following the rejection, Kumar filed a representation on September 16. He pointed to a critical state government notification dated March 17. This notification clearly stated that a three-year diploma from a polytechnic after high school was to be considered equivalent to the intermediate examination.
However, the recruiting body rejected his claim on October 29. His subsequent writ petition was also dismissed by the High Court's single bench, leading him to appeal before the division bench.
Court's Rationale and Final Decision
The division bench, while disposing of the matter, made several important observations. It stated that the single judge bench erred in dismissing the writ petition. The court emphasized that the recruiting body (UKPSC) cannot determine educational qualifications.
"It is for the employer/state government to decide the said qualification, whose decision in such regard is final," the bench observed.
The judgment further noted, "In the present case, the employer had itself, vide order on March 17, by amending the rules, provided the qualification of 10th pass and three years diploma from polytechnic as equivalent qualification to the intermediate examination."
The High Court firmly held that the Uttarakhand PSC has no authority to determine questions of equivalence. The bench clarified that whether a particular qualification should be regarded as equivalent is a matter solely for the state government or the employer, acting as the recruiting authority, to decide.
This ruling not only benefits the petitioner but also sets a clear legal framework for future recruitment processes, ensuring that state government notifications on educational equivalence are binding on recruiting commissions.
