THOMAS Vs. SECRETARY

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioners are aspirants to the post of Higher Secondary School Teacher. The 3rd respondent has issued notification inviting applications for selection to the post of Higher Secondary School Teacher (Senior) as per Gazette notification (Extraordinary) dated 30/04/2010. The last date fixed for on - line submission of application is 02/06/2010. The petitioners have already applied for appearing in the State Eligibility Test which is an essential qualification for the post of Higher Secondary School Teachers and the said test is scheduled to be held on 06/06/2010. In the said circumstances that the petitioners approached this Court with the following prayers:

(2.) R.5 of the Special Rules for Kerala Higher Secondary Education State Service prescribe the qualifications for appointment to the post of Higher Secondary School Teacher in various subjects and R.5(iii) is relevant for the purpose of the case. It reads thus:

(3.) Evidently, the petitioners do not possess the SET qualification and thus they are ineligible to apply for the aforesaid post. In essence, the prayer of the petitioners is to postpone the last date for the on - line submission of the application in such a manner to enable them to acquire the SET qualification and thus earn eligibility to apply for the post of HSST (Senior). They attribute latches on the part of the first respondent in not conducting the State Eligibility Test even after prescribing the same as one of the essential qualifications for the post of HSST.