CAT Allows Guest Teachers to Participate in Vice-Principal Recruitment; Five-Year Age Relaxation Claim Under Consideration
Tribunal
grants interim protection to long-serving Delhi government guest teachers
challenging denial of age relaxation in UPSC recruitment
New Delhi, August 15:
In a significant interim relief for long-serving Guest Teachers of Delhi
government schools, the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Principal
Bench, has permitted them to participate in the UPSC recruitment process
for 704 posts of Vice-Principal in the Directorate of Education, while
their claim for age relaxation of up to five years remains under
consideration.
The order was passed in Amit
Shriwastava & Ors. v. Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) & Ors.,
in which Guest Teachers challenged the denial of age relaxation available under
a Delhi Government Office Memorandum dated June 11, 2019.
The teachers contended
that the 2019 policy grants contractual employees working under the Government
of NCT of Delhi age relaxation of up to five years while seeking regular
appointment through direct recruitment. They argued that Guest Teachers,
many of whom have served the Directorate of Education for more than five years,
could not be denied the benefit merely because the recruitment to the Group-A
post of Vice-Principal was being conducted through UPSC.
The applicants have
specifically sought a direction to UPSC to extend the benefit of up to five
years’ age relaxation to Guest Teachers while considering their candidature
for the Vice-Principal posts.
The Tribunal noted that
the applicants were Guest Teachers who had been serving for more than five
years. It also recorded their contention regarding denial of age relaxation
under the June 11, 2019 Office Memorandum.
Taking note of the
approaching deadline and the possibility of irreversible prejudice, the CAT
held that the balance of convenience warranted interim protection. It
consequently directed that the applicants be permitted to participate in the
selection process for Vice-Principal under Advertisement No. 51/2026.
The Tribunal, however,
clarified that participation would not create any vested right to appointment
and that their candidature and eligibility would remain subject to the final
outcome of the case. Their results have also been directed to be kept in a sealed
cover.
The case assumes
significance for long-serving Guest Teachers who may otherwise become
ineligible for promotion to higher posts because of the upper-age restriction
despite having spent several years teaching in Delhi government schools.
The matter will next be
heard on October 27, 2026.
Advocate Anuj Aggarwal,
along with Advocates Shubham Bahl, Nikhil Pawar, Shakib Malik, Tanya Rose
and Pradeep Kumar, appeared for the applicants.
https://advocateanujaggarwal.com/home.php
Anuj
Aggarwal
Advocate
K-17,
2nd Floor, Jangpura Extension,
New
Delhi - 110014
483,
Block-2, Lawyers Chambers,
Delhi
High Court, New Delhi-110003
Mobile
– 9891403206
Landline
– 011 - 35554905
Email
– anujaggarwal1984@gmail.com
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