SHREE CHANDRASHEKHAR,J. - (1.) The petitioner seeks a direction upon the respondent-State for his appointment on compassionate ground. He is aggrieved of the decision dated 26.12.2017 of the District Compassionate Committee by which his claim for compassionate appointment has been rejected on the ground that on the last date for submitting application for compassionate appointment, he had not attained the age of 18 years which is the minimum age for appointment in government services.
(2.) Facts are not in dispute. Petitioner's mother died in harness on 04.02.2012. At that time she was posted as Assistant Teacher in Harischandra Middle School, Pakuria, Pakur. An application seeking compassionate appointment for the petitioner was submitted on 04.09.2014 which was followed by representations dated 06.04.2015 and 21.02.2016. It is pleaded that petitioner's application for compassionate appointment was forwarded by the Area Education Officer, Maheshpur on 11.10.2017 to the District Superintendent of Education-cum-Subdivisional Officer, Pakur. On this application the District Compassionate Committee in its meeting held on 26.12.2017 has taken a decision that the petitioner is not eligible for appointment on compassionate ground.
(3.) Plea raised on behalf of the petitioner is two-fold; (i) it is the date on which a final decision on the petitioner's application was taken is the crucial date for deciding his eligibility, and (ii) the minimum age of 18 years provided under the Rules shall be reckoned from the date the employee enters into the service and not from the last date for submitting application for compassionate appointment.;