JABALPUR, India, Sept. 24 -- Madhya Pradesh High Court issued the following judgment/order on Aug. 25:

1. In both these writ petitions, common questions of fact and law are involved, therefore, they are heard together and are being decided by this common order.

2. In this petitions, petitioners have mainly assailed the maximum age limit prescribed by Employees Selection Board, Madhya Pradesh in the advertisement of Primary Teacher Selection Examination - 2025, whereby clause 6.2 prescribes the maximum age limit of 40 years for unreserved male candidates and 45 years for unreserved female candidates, reckoning age shall be as on 01.01.2025. Both the petitioners have already crossed the age of 45 years and are seeking benefit of age relaxation as provided by circular dated 18.9.2022 issued by General Administration Department, Bhopal.

3. In Writ Petition No.33865/2025, in addition to challenging the maximum age and claiming the benefit of circular, the original circular dated 3.11.2012 has also been challenged, whereby it is mandated that in all circumstances including all kind of age relaxation under all the category, age should not be exceed more than 45 years.

4. Heard learned counsel for the petitioners as well as learned counsel for the respondents on the question of admission as well for final decision.

5. Learned counsel for the petitioners submitted that petitioners have qualified the Primary Teacher Eligibility Test in the year 2020 and are eligible to participate in the ongoing Selection Test of 2025. However, clause 6.2 of the Rule Book provides the maximum age limit of 40 years for unreserved male candidates (as relevant for W.P. No.33796/2025) and 45 years for unreserved female candidates (as relevant for W.P. No.33865/2025). It is further submitted that at the time of clearing Teacher Eligibility Test, the petitioners were eligible to participate in the selection examination but due to Covid-19 pandemic, the selection exam could not be held and therefore, petitioners were not having any opportunity to appear in the selection examination despite clearing TET-2020. It is further submitted that General Administration Department of Govt. of Madhya Pradesh has issued a circular dated 18.9.2022, whereby considering the Covid-19 period, age relaxation of three years was permitted for the selection examinations. However, the same benefit has not been extended in the Rule Book of Primary Teacher Selection Examination - 2025. It is submitted on behalf of petitioners that after Covid-19, the instant recruitment for Primary Teacher is the first recruitment and therefore, the petitioners, those have been qualified TET-2020 and were waiting for the selection test, are entitled for the relaxation in upper age.

6. They heavily relied on the judgment of coordinate Division Bench of this Court delivered in the matter of Dr. Amol Soley and others vs. State of M.P. and others, Writ Petition No.12150/2023 decided on 15.10.2024 , whereby it is held that the life of TET score/qualification has been extended to lifetime and as per Rule position after 01.12.2022, Selection Test means a selection test to be conducted for appointment to the posts of direct recruitment of teaching cadre under the rules and the advertisement issued for counselling of the Primary Techer on 19.12.2022, wherein the age relaxation applied for counseling was on the basis of TET-2020. It is further held that circular dated 18.9.2022 provides that if the recruitment tests have not been conducted during last three years due to Covid-19 pandemic, the special relaxation of three years in maximum age limit for all those vacancies to be notified upto December 2023 will be applicable and after the amended provisions, now after 01.12.2022, TET is only an eligibility test and is not a selection test. The Division Bench has held that as the selection test has been notified for the first time after Covid-19 pandemic, the candidates will get age relaxation in maximum age, till the period of December 2023.

*Rest of the document can be viewed at: (https://mphc.gov.in/upload/jabalpur/MPHCJB/2025/WP/33865/WP_33865_2025_FinalOrder_25-08-2025_digi.pdf)

Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.