Siddharth Shanker vs Chancellor, University of Allahabad and Others

M. Katju and Umeshwar Pandey, JJ.—Heard learned Counsel for the Petitioner. Sri P. S. Baghel has appeared for the Respondent.

The Petitioner has prayed for quashing the selection on the post of lecturer in Political Science in the University of Allahabad in the selection held on 6.8.2003. We are not inclined to interfere with the said selection as this Court cannot sit in appeal over the decision of the Selection Committee, vide The Chancellor and Another Vs. Dr Bijayananda Kar and Others, ; The University of Mysore and Another Vs. C.D. Govinda Rao and Another, etc.

It has been alleged in paragraph 9 of the writ petition that the Petitioner has obtained only 42% marks in graduation level and hence he was not eligible to be appointed as lecturer in view of G.O. dated 6.1.2003 which prescribes that the Scheduled Caste candidate should have at least 50% marks in graduation for appointment as lecturer. We find the aforesaid G.O. to be fully justified as the standard of education cannot be brought down merely on caste basis. It must be understood that the appointment of a teacher affects the lives of thousands of young people, and if an incompetent teacher is appointed the future of thousands of students may become dark. Hence on the post of teacher highly meritorious candidate should be appointed vide Dr. Hari Prasad Adhikari Vs. Chancellor, Sampuranand Sanskrit University and others, . In that decision it was also observed that appointment of teachers in a University is not simply a question of giving a job to a person, it is much more a question of maintaining high academic standards without which the country cannot progress. The Petitioner has got only 42% marks in graduation and hence he was rightly not selected for appointment as lecturer.

The petition is dismissed.