Central Administrative Tribunal - Ernakulam
Suni Aj vs Defence on 21 August, 2025
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CENTRAL ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL
ERNAKULAM BENCH
Original Application No.180/00381/2023
Thursday this the 21st day of August 2025
CO RAM :
HON'BLE Mr.JUSTICE SUNIL THOMAS, JUDICIAL MEMBER
HON'BLE Ms.V.RAMA MATHEW, ADMINISTRATIVE MEMBER
Suni.A.J.,
Aged 30 years,
D/o.Shri.Jayan,
Vazhavila Poyka,
Thadatharikathu House,
Kuthirakulam, Thiruvananthapuram - 695 615. ...Applicant
(By Advocates Mr.Shaijan.C.George, Mrs.Sreekala.T.N,
Mr.Vinai John & Mr.Hashmi.V.Z)
versus
1. Union of India,
represented by the Secretary to Government of India,
Ministry of Defence, New Delhi - 110 001.
2. The Director,
Centre for Personal Talent Management (CEP TAM),
Defence R & D Organisation (DRDO),
Ministry of Defence, Metcalfe House,
Civil Lane, Delhi - 110 054.
3. Director,
Armament R & D Establishment (ARDE),
Dr.Homi Bhabha Road, Arament Post,
Pashan, Pune - 411 021.
4. The Director General (ACE),
Office of the Director General (ACE),
ARDE Campus, Pashan, Pune - 411 021.
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5. The Director,
Directorate of Technical Education,
Padmavilasom Street, Fort P.O.,
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala - 695 023. ...Respondents
(By Advocate Mr.M.N.Manmadan, SCGSC [R1-4]
& Mr.Baijuraj.G., GP [R5])
This application having been heard on 12th August, 2025 the
Tribunal on 21st August, 2025 delivered the following :
ORDER
HON'BLE Ms.V.RAMA MATHEW, ADMINISTRATIVE MEMBER Briefly stated the facts are as under - The applicant responded to an advertisement for the vacancies of Senior Technical Assistant - B (STA-B) and Technician - A (Tech - A) under Defence Research and Development Organization Technical Cadre (DRTC) for the post coded 0202 which is meant for Bookbinder with essential qualification required was 10th Class or equivalent and certificate from ITI in Book Binder or Offset Machine Operator cum Bookbinder Trade. This is produced as Annexure A-1. The applicant was invited for the examination and qualified in the Tier-I examination. Hence, she was called for the Tier-II examination held on 20.03.2023. Having qualified in both, she was provisionally recommended for further processing and she was directed to report for the document verification at the office of the Director (Admin), Office of DG (ACE), Dr.Homi Bhabha Road, Opp. ARDE Pashan, Pune. She submitted the required documents such as Secondary 2025.08.21 A S Peethambaran 15:50:36 +05'30' -3- School Leaving Certificate and the mark list of the KGTE (Printing) Examination conducted by the State Board of Technical Education with specialization in Post Press Operations and Finishing and the certificate issued by the State Board of Technical Education for the Kerala Government Technical Examination (Printing Technology) in Post Press Operations and Finishing, produced as Annexure A-4, Annexure A-5 and Annexure A-6. The Administrative Officer ARDE, Pune has doubted the equivalency of the technical qualification certificate held by her with the essential qualification requirement. Hence, the DRDO Headquarters referred the certificate for clarification regarding the essential qualification requirement. This reference is produced as Annexure A-9. As a clarification for the same, she has produced Equivalency Certificate issued by the 5th respondent, Director of Technical Education dated 11.05.2023 showing that the KGTE Post Press Operations and Finishing Course is equivalent to KGTE Book Binding (Higher) Course. This is produced as Annexure A-10 as also the order G.O.(MS) No.780/2014/H.Edn dated 12.09.2014 which clarifies the renaming of the Course. This is produced as Annexure A-11.
2. It is submitted that on submissions of all the above documents with DRDO HQ, the 3rd respondent on 02.08.2023 issued a letter to the applicant with No.ARDE/2/1/5-CON(DRTC) dated 02.08.2023 2025.08.21 A S Peethambaran 15:50:36 +05'30' -4- informing that her candidature for the post of Technician 'A' (Book Binder) in the establishment ie., Armament Research & Development Establishment, Dr.Homi Bhabha Road, Armament Post, Pashen, Pune as per CEPTAM, Delhi Letter No.DRDO/CEPTAM/RD/40039/Nom/C-10 (DRTC)/TECH-A dated 15.05.2023 was cancelled. This cancellation order is produced as Annexure A-12 wherein it was also stated that no representation/appeal would be entertained in this regard. This letter is impugned in this O.A wherein it is alleged that Annexure A-12 is the result of non application of mind and that the doubt raised by the Administrative Officer, Pune is based on the change of name of the course, but has not properly appraised the actual trade that has been taught with course name Post Press Operations and Finishing.
3. The respondents have argued that the advertisement and the Recruitment Rules both clearly states that the essential qualification required is (i) 10th Class pass or equivalent from a recognized Board or Institute and (ii) Certificate from a recognized Industrial Training Institute in the required discipline or Certificate of minimum one year duration from a recognized institution in the required discipline if the Industrial Training Institutes do not award certificate in that discipline or National Trade Certificate in the required discipline or National Apprenticeship Certificate in the required discipline for each post. In 2025.08.21 A S Peethambaran 15:50:36 +05'30' -5- SRO 37 of 14.06.2022 it has been clearly stated for the post code 0202 Book Binder the essential qualification requirement are (i) 10 th Class or equivalent and (ii) Certificate from ITI in Book Binder or Offset Machine Operator cum Book Binder Trade. There was no mention of equivalency in the SRO. It has also not been argued at any point that the ITI does not offer certificate in the Book Binder trade. As regards the argument that the candidate was permitted to appear for the Tier - I and Tier - II Examinations, it was submitted that the eligibility or otherwise of the candidates who have applied as against Annexure A-1 advertisement can be decided only on completion of the recruitment process. However, the aforesaid documents was challenged at the time of verification itself. For the purpose of appointment our attention was drawn to para 2.3 of the Annexure A-1 advertisement wherein it was clearly stated the candidates should ensure that they fulfill all the eligibility criteria before applying the post. Their admission at all stages of the selection process will be purely provisional subject to fulfilling prescribed eligibility criteria. If, on verification, at any stage during or after after the selection process, it is found that they do not fulfill any of the eligibility criteria, their candidature/appointment will be cancelled without notice, and no representation in this regard will be entertained under any circumstances. On the argument that the cancellation of the candidature did not communicate the reasons thereof, our attention is drawn to para 2 of 2025.08.21 A S Peethambaran 15:50:36 +05'30' -6- Annexure A-12 wherein it was stated that "on verification it was found that she had not fulfilled essential qualification requirement criteria as per existing Recruitment Rules for the post Code 0202 of Technician A (Book Binder)".
4. The applicant has produced a judgment of the Hon'ble High Court of Kerala in W.P(C) No.6898/2007 wherein the petitioner had applied for the post of Offset Printing Machine Operator Grade II in the Printing (Government Presses) Department. However, he possessed only the qualification of National Apprenticeship Certificate in Printing. Relying upon the Government Order which stated that the National Apprenticeship Certificate in Printing would be acceptable as an alternative qualification to KGTE Certificate in Printing, the Hon'ble Court had held the candidate eligible for appointment.
5. The issue over here is not of the Government of Kerala declaring equivalency but of the Recruitment Rules itself prescribing very specifically that the ITI in the Printing Trade is an essential qualification and that the matter of equivalency is only required to be gone into where the ITI did not provide for certificate in the concerned trade and therefore, need for referring to the question of equivalency would not be necessary, particularly, in view of the Hon'ble Supreme Court decision in 2025.08.21 A S Peethambaran 15:50:36 +05'30' -7- the case of Jyoti.K.K vs. Kerala Public Service Commission (2010) 15 SCC 596 wherein it was held that "the prescription of qualifications for a post is a matter of recruitment policy. The State as the employer is entitled to prescribe the qualifications as a condition of eligibility. It is no part of the role or function of judicial review to expand upon the ambit of the prescribed qualifications. Similarly, equivalence of a qualification is not a matter which can be determined in exercise of the power of judicial review."
6. In the light of the above, the O.A fails and is accordingly dismissed. No order as to costs.
(Dated this the 21st day of August, 2025)
V.RAMA MATHEW JUSTICE SUNIL THOMAS
ADMINISTRATIVE MEMBER JUDICIAL MEMBER
asp
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List of Annexures in O.A.No.180/00381/2023
1. Annexure A-1 - A copy of the Advertisement No.CEPTAM- 10/DRTC published by the 2nd respondent dated Nil.
2. Annexure A-2 - A copy of the Application made by the applicant for the said post.
3. Annexure A-3 - A copy of the Communication dated 19.05.2023.
4. Annexure A-4 - A copy of the Secondary School Leaving Certificate of the applicant.
5. Annexure A-5 - A copy of the Mark List of the KGTE (Printing) Examination conducted by the State Board of Technical Education with specialization; Post Press Operations and Finishing of the applicant.
6. Annexure A-6 - A copy of the Certificate issued by the State Board of Technical Education for the Kerala Government Technical Examination (Printing Technology) in Post Press Operations and Finishing.
7. Annexure A-7 - A copy of the Verification Certificate issued by the Joint Controller, Office of the Controller of the Technical Examination dated 16.05.2023.
8. Annexure A-8 - A copy of the Supplementary Verification Report dated 25.05.2023.
9. Annexure A-9 - A copy of the Reference dated 19.05.2023 by the Admin. Officer, ARDE, Pune - 22.
10. Annexure A-10 - A copy of the Equivalency Certificate dated 11.05.2023.
11. Annexure A-11 - A copy of the G.O.(MS) No.780/2014/H.Edn dated 12.09.2014 and the appended Rules and Regulations for the conduct of various courses in Printing Technology under the State Board of Technical Education, Kerala.
12. Annexure A12 - A copy of the Letter No.ARDE/2/1/58-CON (DRTC) dated 02.08.2023 issued by Scientist G, the 3rd respondent, the Director (ARDE).
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13. Annexure R-1(A) - A copy of the Schedule II of Statutory Rule Order (SRO) 296 published on 05.12.2000.
14. Annexure R-1(B) - A copy of the SRO 37 published on 14.06.2022 by the Ministry of Defence in the Gazette of India.
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