Rajasthan University recruitments: SC breather for applicants

The Supreme Court on Thursday served notices on the Rajasthan University, the state government, the Union government and the UGC (University Grants Commission) seeking their reply over disqualification of PhD holders, who got their doctorate before 2009, from applying to vacancies announced by the university.

The varsity is following amended 2010 UGC regulations according to which one must clear NET and hold a PhD only through a Pre-PhD exam to be eligible for teaching. The petitioners, however, claim that several other universities in state and country consider PhD holders, who got their degrees before 2009, eligible for teaching irrespective of whether they have cleared NET or not.

The Apex Court, while hearing the petition challenging the amended UGC regulations being enforced by the University of Rajasthan, allowed  permission to petitioners, Devendra Kumar Sharma and six others, to take part in the selection process of assistant professors in Rajasthan University and its constituent colleges. Though, the court made it clear that the final permission will rest on the verdict on the special leave petition filed by the petitioners.

The petitioners had challenged the verdict of Rajasthan High Court where they had sought an exemption from the new UGC norms of 2010 as they are not NET qualified.

The high court had, however, rejected their plea on September 20. The petitioners then moved the Supreme Court against the HC decision.

The petitioners claimed that the university had amended its rules on March 14, 2012. It had continued providing relief to pre-2009 PhD holders  under the old pattern, considering them eligible for recruitment.

However, no recruitment was done during that period, they claimed, adding, “Another amendment was made to the rules in October 2012 under which the old degree holders were not considered eligible for recruitment.

The order filtered out those who completed their PhD before 2009.

Caught in rules
The RU is following the rules framed in 2010 according to which one must clear NET and hold a PhD through Pre-PhD exam to be eligible for teaching.

However, several other universities in the state and country consider PhD holders eligible for teaching irrespective of whether they have cleared NET or not.