Quashing the decision of Document Verification Committee being illegal, the Chandigarh bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal has directed the Education Department of administration to issue appointment letters to seven candidates who were selected for the post of TGT (Music) within six weeks from receipt of certified copy of this order.
The Tribunal said that there cannot be an ad hoc approach to interpret the rules as has been done while passing an order dated on November 14, 2025.
Eleven candidates approached the Tribunal through advocate Rohit Seth after the Education Department disqualified them for the post during the checking of documents. The applicants said that Education Department issued an advertisement in 2024 for filing up the 303 posts of TGT (Masters/Mistress).
The applicants, being eligible and qualified, submitted their online application form for the post of TGT (Music) under various categories and the admit card was issued. They were selected in written examination. The candidates who had qualified in the written test were called for verification of original documents.
The Document Verification Committee declared them ineligible and held their Master of Arts in Music degree is invalid for post.
The candidates said that essential qualifications prescribed in advertisement is:-
(1) Graduate or its equivalent with music as one of the elective subjects with at least 50 per cent marks in aggregate;
(2) Bachelor of Education Degree recognised by NCTE with at least 50 per cent marks in aggregate with music as a teaching subject or its equivalent OR graduate in any subject from a recognised university with at least 50 per cent marks in aggregate;
(3) Degree in Music from recognised institute with at least 50 per cent marks in aggregate.
The applicants stated that an MA in Music is a recognised academic qualification, and no specific degree is mentioned in the advertisement. They said that the verification committee has arbitrarily made remarks that the applicants do not have the qualification of B,Ed. in Music as per NCTE norms and as such they cannot be considered eligible for the post of TGT Music and, therefore, they are not eligible.
Applicants relied upon judgment of Tribunal in similar matter for same post, under same rules upheld by High Court and implemented.
After hearing of the arguments, the Tribunal said that since no distinction has been made either in recruitment rules or advertisement to impose this artificial distinction by the Committee in its order dated November I4, 2O25 recommending that only those candidates who have B.Ed. will be considered and those without B.Ed. cannot be considered eligible, is legally untenable.
Further, that alternative qualification refers to professional degree hence their declaration as ineligible for the post of TGT is again not legally justified. “Hence we are of the firm view that both the qualifications are to be considered at par for considering eligibility of the candidates,” it said. The reasoning is bereft of logic and not sustainable as per law and rules. There cannot be adhoc approach to interpret the rules as has been done while passing order.
The Tribunal said that they cannot be excluded by unfair exercise of power of interpretation by the respondents. In view of this the application is allowed.
The order dated June 6, 2025, is set aside qua applicants and their degree has to be considered valid. Respondents are directed to issue appointment letters to the applicants as per their merit and category to which they belong, if they are otherwise eligible. “Order to be implemented within six weeks from receipt of certified copy of this order,” said the Tribunal.
