{"id":382195,"date":"2026-04-24T11:30:59","date_gmt":"2026-04-24T06:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/?p=382195"},"modified":"2026-04-24T10:35:24","modified_gmt":"2026-04-24T05:05:24","slug":"sc-higher-degree-no-substitute-for-experience-essential-qualification-cannot-be-relaxed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scconline.com\/blog\/post\/2026\/04\/24\/sc-higher-degree-no-substitute-for-experience-essential-qualification-cannot-be-relaxed\/","title":{"rendered":"Supreme Court: Essential qualification cannot be relaxed by implication; higher qualification no substitute for mandatory experience"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Supreme Court:<\/span> In an appeal arising out of a dispute concerning selection and appointment to the post of Computer Hardware Engineer under the Himachal Pradesh Board of School Education, a Division Bench of Atul S. Chandurkar and J.K. Maheshwari*, JJ.<\/span>, dismissed the appeals and upheld the judgment of the Division Bench of the High Court setting aside the appointment of the selected candidate. The Court held that the requirement of minimum five years’ work experience, being an essential eligibility condition under the Recruitment and Promotion Rules (R&P Rules) and the advertisement dated 21 July 2016, could not be diluted on the basis of higher academic qualification or merit.<\/p>\n

It was further held that in absence of any conscious exercise of the power of relaxation supported by reasons on record, the selection of an ineligible candidate was unsustainable in law. Rejecting the plea for equitable protection on account of continued service and regularisation, the Court emphasised that equity cannot override statutory rules, and where the selection process itself stands vitiated, no direction for appointment of any candidate can be issued.<\/p>\n

Also read:<\/span> Government job eligibility criteria cannot be changed midway unless allowed by rules: Supreme Court | SCC Times<\/a><\/p>\n

Background<\/h3>\n

The Himachal Pradesh Board of School Education issued Advertisement No. 3001—3010 dated 21 July 2016 inviting applications for various posts on contract basis, including one unreserved post of Computer Hardware Engineer. Pursuant thereto, the appellant, Respondents 1 and 3 applied and participated in the selection process comprising a written test held on 28 August 2016 and a personal interview conducted on 3 October 2016. All three candidates possessed BTech degrees in the relevant field. While appellant also held an MTech degree but had only about one year’s experience, Respondent 3 had a diploma with around 2.5 years’ experience, and Respondent 1 possessed a Post Graduate Diploma in Computer Application (PGDCA) with about six years’ experience. In the final result declared on 3 October 2016, appellant secured the highest marks, followed by Respondent 3 who was placed in the waitlist, and Respondent 1. Appellant was accordingly selected and appointed, having obtained a no-objection certificate from her previous employment as a Vocational Trainer.<\/p>\n

Aggrieved thereby, Respondent 1 instituted OA No. 1561 of 2017 before the Himachal Pradesh State Administrative Tribunal seeking quashing of appellant’s selection and his own appointment. Upon abolition of the Tribunal, the matter stood transferred to the High Court. The Single Judge, by order dated 24 August 2020, allowed the petition ex parte qua appellant and set aside her selection on the ground that she did not possess the essential requirement of five years’ experience, directing consideration of Respondent 1’s appointment. On a review petition filed by appellant, the said order was recalled and the writ petition was restored. During pendency, appellant continued in service and came to be regularised on 7 November 2019.<\/p>\n

Upon rehearing, the Single Judge, by order dated 23 September 2020, dismissed the writ petition and upheld appellant’s selection, taking note of the power of relaxation under the applicable Recruitment and Promotion Rules and her higher qualification and merit position, in absence of any mala fides or procedural irregularity. However, in Letters Patent Appeal No. 49 of 2020, the Division Bench set aside her selection holding that the essential qualification of experience was not fulfilled and there was no material to indicate exercise of the power of relaxation. At the same time, no relief was granted to Respondent 1 or any other candidate as none satisfied the prescribed experience requirement.<\/p>\n

Aggrieved, the present appeals were preferred, wherein the Supreme Court, by order dated 6 May 2021, stayed the operation of the impugned judgment, as a result of which appellant has continued to serve on the post.<\/p>\n

Issues<\/h3>\n

(i<\/span>) whether a candidate not possessing the essential qualification of five years’ work experience as on the relevant date could nonetheless be considered for selection on the strength of having a higher academic qualification, on account of the same being indicated as a preference under the R&P Rules;<\/p>\n

(ii<\/span>) whether the power of relaxation could be exercised in favour of a candidate not possessing the essential qualification as prescribed in the R&P Rules, and if so, whether such relaxation was in fact exercised in favour of the appellant in accordance with law; and<\/p>\n

(iii<\/span>) whether the selection and appointment of the appellant can be sustained in law, and if not, whether any direction for appointment of any other candidate is warranted.<\/p>\n

Analysis<\/h3>\n

The Court, at the outset, examined the advertisement dated 21 July 2016 read with the applicable R&P Rules and held that the requirement of a minimum of five years’ work experience in a reputed organisation engaged in computer manufacturing\/maintenance constituted an essential qualification and a threshold eligibility condition. The use of the expression “minimum” in the R&P Rules was held to be determinative, indicating that such requirement was mandatory and incapable of dilution on the basis of comparative merit or higher academic qualification. Drawing a clear distinction between essential and preferential qualifications, the Court observed that while possession of an MTech degree could confer preference, such preference operates only within the zone of candidates who satisfy the basic eligibility criteria and cannot be invoked to supplant or override an essential qualification. Acceptance of the contrary contention would amount to rewriting the terms of the advertisement and inverting the scheme of the R&P Rules by allowing a desirable qualification to override a mandatory one.<\/p>\n

The Court further relied upon the settled legal position that, in absence of an express enabling provision, a higher qualification cannot be treated as a substitute for a prescribed essential qualification, reiterating that recruitment rules and advertisement conditions are binding on both the candidates and the recruiting authority. While considering the power of relaxation under the R&P Rules, the Court acknowledged that such power could extend even to essential qualifications; however, it emphasised that the same must be exercised consciously, with due application of mind and for reasons recorded in writing. The mere existence of such a power does not permit its presumptive exercise. Upon perusal of the record, particularly in light of the material called for by the Court, it was found that there was no evidence whatsoever to indicate that any relaxation of the experience requirement had been granted in favour of the appellant. The Selection Committee’s record was completely silent on this aspect and did not reflect any deliberation regarding the deficiency in eligibility or any reasoned decision to relax the same.<\/p>\n

In this backdrop, the Court held that the selection of the appellant, who admittedly possessed only about one year of experience, was effected in clear disregard of the essential eligibility criteria and without any conscious exercise of the power of relaxation. It was further observed that while reasons may not be required for awarding marks in a selection process, the exercise of a statutory power of relaxation necessarily demands a reasoned and demonstrable decision, failing which such relaxation cannot be presumed. The absence of any such decision rendered the selection arbitrary and indicative of non-application of mind. Accordingly, the Court concluded that a candidate not fulfilling the essential requirement of five years’ experience could not have been treated as eligible merely on account of possessing a higher degree or securing higher marks in merit, and any such approach would be legally impermissible. Issues (i<\/span>) and (ii<\/span>) were answered in these terms.<\/p>\n

Also read:<\/span> Judicial Review and Public Recruitment: A Constitutional Perspective on the Scope of Court Interference | SCC Times<\/a><\/p>\n

Having found the appellant ineligible, the Court considered whether the appointment could nevertheless be sustained on equitable considerations, having regard to her continued service, interim protection and regularisation. It was held that grant of equitable relief is discretionary and cannot be invoked to override or dilute essential eligibility conditions. The decisions relied upon were distinguished on the ground that in those cases the deficiency was either marginal or capable of being cured during service, whereas in the present case the requirement of five years’ prior specialised experience was a threshold condition which could not be acquired after appointment. The defect, therefore, went to the root of eligibility and rendered the selection inherently illegal, particularly in absence of any conscious exercise of the power of relaxation by recording reasons.<\/p>\n

On the claim of Respondent 1, the Court reiterated that mere participation in the selection process or fulfilment of eligibility conditions does not confer an indefeasible right to appointment. It was observed that the selection process itself stood vitiated, as candidates not fulfilling the essential qualification were permitted to participate and the requirement of experience was not strictly adhered to. In such circumstances, no direction for appointment could be issued, as it would amount to perpetuating another illegality.<\/p>\n

Accordingly, the Court held that where the selection process is fundamentally flawed, the proper course is to set aside the selection rather than to direct appointment. The selection and appointment of the appellant were held unsustainable in law, no relief was granted to Respondent 1 or any other candidate, and the judgment of the Division Bench was upheld. The appeals were dismissed with liberty to the Board to initiate a fresh selection process in accordance with the R&P Rules.<\/p>\n

[Himakshi<\/span> v. Rahul Verma<\/span>, 2026 SCC OnLine SC 642, decided on 20-4-2026<\/span>]<\/p>\n

*Judgment authored by: Justice J.K. Maheshwari<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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