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8. Vide G.O.Ms. No. 29 School Education (Q) Department dated 14.02.2014, corresponding amendments were made in criteria for selection of candidates who have cleared the TET for appointment to the post of Secondary Grade Teachers and Graduate Assistants prescribed in G.O. dated 05.10.2012. The said order laid down the weightage of marks under TET head as ‘36’ for those candidates who obtain 55% and above but below 60% marks in TET. The order also specified that the amended selection criteria would be applicable to TET held on 17.08.2013 and 18.08.2013. Relevant portion of the said G.O. reads as under:

Point No. 3: Whether providing relaxation of 5% marks in TET amounts to change in the criteria of selection of teachers after the selection process commenced?

31. The appellants have contended that the provisionally selected candidates were called to attend certificate verification on 23.01.2014 and 24.01.2014 and weightage marks were also awarded as per the then existing Government Order. While so, by issuing impugned G.O.Ms. No.25 dated 06.02.2014 and G.O.Ms. No. 29 dated 14.02.2014 the criteria of selection was altered by relaxing passing marks by 5% in TET from 60% to 55%, thereby allowing large number of candidates who scored lesser marks to be considered for selection. As per the appellants, this has resulted in altering the criteria of selection after the commencement of selection process. Reliance is placed upon K. Manjushree v. State of Andhra Pradesh and Anr. (2008) 3 SCC 512 and Hemani Malhotra v. High Court of Delhi (2008) 7 SCC 11 to contend that the rules of selection cannot be changed after the selection process commenced.

32. Per contra, State has contended that granting relaxation of marks to SCs/STs/OBCs and others will not amount to change in the rules of the games. By relaxation of marks more candidates belonging to reserved category are allowed to compete. The appellants cannot contend that their rights have been taken away; no prejudice has been caused to them as the selection criteria has not been altered with respect to them.

33. Appellants appeared in the TET conducted on 17.08.2013 and 18.08.2013. Respondents were to select the suitable candidates. As per the selection criteria laid down in G.O. Ms. No. 252 laid down that the candidates have to secure minimum 60% in TET so as to qualify the said exam. The weightage of the marks secured in TET was 60% and that of academic qualification was 40%. It is true that the candidates who passed TET were called to attend certificate verification on 23.01.2014 and 24.01.2014; but the selection process has not been completed. Later on, G.O.Ms. No.25 dated 06.02.2014 was issued granting relaxation of 5% marks to SC, ST, backward classes, physically handicapped, de-notified communities etc. The purpose of relaxation was to increase the participation of candidates belonging to backward classes in State’s pool of teachers. The State Government merely widened the ambit of TET so as to reach out to those candidates belonging to the deprived section of the society who were not able to compete, inspite of possessing good academic records and qualifications. The change brought about in the selection criteria is Government’s prerogative. In terms of their extant reservation policy, the State Government is free to take actions suitable to the socio- economic conditions prevalent in the State, especially with regard to selection of candidates belonging to reserved category to be employed in State Service. Merely, because the Government has widened the ambit of selection, so as to enable more and more candidates to take part in the selection process, the right of candidates who were already in the process cannot be said to have been adversely affected. It is in the interest of reserved category of candidates that more candidates take part in the selection process and best and most efficient of them get selected. This will not amount to change in the criteria for selection after the selection process commenced.

36. Appearing in TET is synonymous to obtaining an eligibility. By obtaining pass marks in TET a candidate is not said to have been recruited. Marks obtained in TET accounts only for 60% in the final selection and rest 40% is covered by academic performance. By granting relaxation of 5% marks in TET for reserved categories only, the eligibility criteria is neither altered nor any prejudice is caused to the appellants. The contention of the appellants that the State Government cannot legally alter the selection criteria after conducting the exam does not find force in the light of view taken by a three Judge Bench of this Court in Tej Prakash Pathak and Ors. v. Rajasthan High Court and Ors. (2013) 4 SCC 540. In this case, the then Chief Justice of the concerned High Court ordered that examination conducted for the posts of ‘Translators’ be treated as competitive examination and only those candidates who secured a minimum of 75% marks be selected to fill up the posts in questions. In view of the decision of the Chief Justice, only three candidates were found suitable for appointment. This triggered the litigation. It was observed that there is difference between altering the basic eligibility criteria in the mid of the process of selection and altering the mere procedure of selection.