The High Court sets aside the Kerala Administrative Tribunal's decision allowing distance education degrees as equivalent to regular course qualifications.
In a significant ruling, the Kerala High Court has upheld the Kerala Public Service Commission's (KPSC) stipulation that candidates for the post of Librarian Grade IV must possess qualifications acquired through a regular course of study, rejecting the equivalency of degrees obtained via distance education.
The judgment was delivered by a Division Bench comprising Justices Anil K. Narendran and Muralee Krishna S., who adjudicated a series of petitions filed by the KPSC against the Kerala Administrative Tribunal's order dated July 1, 2025. The Tribunal had previously directed the inclusion of candidates possessing Bachelor's Degrees in Library and Information Science obtained through distance education in the KPSC's ranked lists for Librarian Grade IV positions.
The KPSC had issued notifications in December 2020 and November 2022, outlining the qualifications required for the post. These included a Bachelor's Degree in Library and Information Science acquired through regular study from universities within Kerala, or recognized as equivalent by a university in Kerala. However, candidates who obtained their degrees via distance education from institutions such as the University of Kerala and IGNOU were excluded from the final ranked list, prompting legal challenges.
The Tribunal's decision was based on equivalency certificates issued by various universities in Kerala, which recognized distance education degrees as equivalent to those obtained through regular courses. However, the High Court emphasized that equivalency must satisfy the condition of regular study, as mandated by special rules governing the recruitment process.
The High Court's judgment underscored the importance of adhering to prescribed qualifications for public service positions and clarified that government orders cannot dilute the specific requirements set forth in special rules. The court cited previous judgments, including Shine Bose B v. Kerala Public Service Commission and Nagaland Public Service Commission v. State of Nagaland, to reinforce its stance that qualifications must be acquired through regular study for eligibility.
The court observed that accepting distance education degrees as equivalent would create an untenable situation where candidates from universities outside Kerala could qualify without undergoing regular study, thus undermining the recruitment criteria for teaching and related posts.
Ultimately, the High Court found that the Tribunal's order was flawed and overturned its decision, dismissing the original applications filed by the candidates. The ruling reaffirms the necessity for candidates to meet the qualifications stipulated in the KPSC notifications through regular courses of study.
This judgment not only impacts the candidates involved but also sets a precedent for future recruitment processes, emphasizing the integrity and standards of public service examinations.
Bottom Line:
Recruitment to the post of Librarian Grade IV - Qualification must be acquired through a regular course of study either from a University in Kerala or a University outside Kerala, provided it is officially recognised as equivalent by a University in Kerala. Qualification obtained through distance education is not equivalent to one acquired through a regular course of study.
Statutory provision(s): Article 227 of the Constitution of India, Kerala Public Services Act, 1968, Special Rules for Kerala Common Pool Library Subordinate Service
Kerala Public Service Commission v. Nithya V.L., (Kerala)(DB) : Law Finder Doc id # 2845485
