RANCHI, India, March 28 -- Jharkhand High Court issued the following order on Feb. 25:
1. Mr. Anup Kumar, learned counsel for the petitioners appears through the virtual mode. He does not complain about the clarity and quality of the audio and video.
2. Petitioners, in this writ petitions, have prayed for setting aside the cut-off date, that is, 01.08.2024 for computation of maximum age provided under clasuse-6 of the Advertisement No.12 of 2025 issued by Jharkhand Public Service Commission for the post of Drug Inspector. They have further prayed for directing the respondents to revise the cut-off date for maximum age to 01.08.2012 and grant age relaxation of 12 years and thereafter extend the time for submission of applications. Beside this, the writ petitioners in W.P.(S) No. 1152 of 2026 have also prayed for modifying the minimum experience eligibility condition given in clause-5(i), (ii), (iii) of Advertisement No. 12 of 2025 to the extent that the said experience eligibility criteria is not mandatory and directing completion of the recruitment process in accordance with the Jharkhand State Drug Control Service Rules, 2023 and the Central Drug Rules, 1945.
3. The Jharkhand Public Service Commission issued Advertisement No. 12/2025 to fill-up 30 post of Drug Inspector, fixing 01.08.2024 as the cut-off date for age calculation. Since the last recruitment was held about 15 years ago (in the year 2011), the Petitioners have now crossed the maximum age limit, thus are seeking age relaxation by requesting revision of the cut-off date for age calculation. As per their prayer, the relaxation will be of 12 years.
4. Learned counsel for the petitioners contend that the cut-off date must be modified, as Advertisement No. 12/2025 for 30 post of Drug Inspector follows a 15-years gap since the previous examination held on 2012. He further submitted that the fixation of cut-off date as 01.08.2024 is arbitrary and unreasonable, particularly in view of the 15-year gap since the last recruitment. In fact, as per him cut-off date should have been 01.08.2012. He further submitted that in the instant case, there is an unexplained delay of 15 years since the last examination, inspite of the mandate of the rules to hold examination on each year. He further submits that despite representations given by the petitioners, no action was taken by the respondents. He also submits that the Petitioners cannot be penalized for the inaction and delay caused solely by the respondents. The Respondents have acted without proper application of mind while fixing the cut-off date.
5. The learned counsel for respondents submits that fixing a cutoff date for calculating age is a policy decision taken by the recruiting authority to ensure uniformity and certainty in the recruitment process and it applies uniformly to all candidates. The prescription of a cut-off date and eligibility criteria falls squarely within the exclusive prerogative of the recruiting authority and no individual has a vested right to claim age relaxation. He further submits that there is no provision in the statutory rules, which provides for granting any age relaxation. Thus, cut-off date cannot be changed on account of delay in recruitment.
*Rest of the document can be viewed at: (https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/ecourtindiaHC/cases/display_pdf.php?filename=I1mmm2bl4r4EREhYK63Kv%2BPv8BaDhaAbdVGeOMAirZujUq4uRsnITjM2lNWbbTPN&caseno=WPC/1152/2026&cCode=1&cino=JHHC010057772026&state_code=7&appFlag=)
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
