Candidates cannot be disqualifed from job citing overqualification: Supreme Court

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has ruled that postgraduates cannot be disqualified for a post requiring a degree. The bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta ruled on a petition filed against the rejection of an application for the post of Food Safety Officer in Jharkhand on the grounds of higher qualification. The candidate had approached the Supreme Court challenging the Jharkhand High Court verdict.

The recruitment advertisement had stated that only graduates would be considered for the post and that a postgraduate degree in microbiology or food science was not a qualification. It had also been mentioned that postgraduates in subjects other than chemistry would be excluded.

The court pointed out that under the UGC Act of 1956, a degree includes bachelor's, master's and doctorate degrees. The court ruled that, except in special circumstances, a degree should be interpreted to include all three levels of degree. The exclusion of candidates with postgraduate degrees in subjects other than chemistry is arbitrary and unconstitutional. It was also clarified that the state does not have the authority to water down the qualifications prescribed by the central government for the post of FSO.