Heard the learned counsel for the petitioners, the learned Government Pleader for respondents 1 and 2, and the learned Standing Counsel for the respondents 3 and 4, apart from perusing the record. 2. Briefly stated, the petitioners, all of them being High School Assistants working in different schools, have acquired M.Sc. Post Graduate degree in different disciplines from Madurai Kamaraj University, Madras University and Bharathiar University, as the case may be. Aspiring for promotional posts, all the petitioners seem to have applied to the 3rd and 4th respondents seeking Equivalency Certificates. Questioning the delay on the part of the respondent Universities in considering their requests for equivalency certificates, the petitioners have filed the present writ petition.
3. The learned counsel for the petitioners has brought to my notice that Exts.P15 to P20 applications have been filed by the petitioners before the 4th respondent for the purpose of obtaining equivalency certificates. The learned counsel has also submitted that the 3rd petitioner filed Ext.P6 application before the 3rd respondent University.
4. The learned Standing Counsel for the 4th respondent University has submitted that for issuing equivalency certificates, an elaborate procedural parameters are required to be followed and as a pre-condition, the petitioners are required to file their applications in prescribed format. He has further contended that, along with the applications, the petitioners are also required to submit the relevant syllabi of the courses they have undergone so that the University could evaluate the standard of the courses in question.
5. Meeting the contentions of the learned Standing Counsel for the 4th respondent, in reply, the learned counsel for the petitioners has drawn my attention to Ext.P18, which is stated to be in proper format as far as one particular petitioner is concerned.
6. Be that as it may, the 3rd and 4th respondents, in the interest of career advancement of the petitioners, shall consider the applications stated to have been pending before them, concerning the issue of equivalency certificates to be given to the petitioners by following the due process.
7. If for whatever reason, the Universities are of the opinion that the applications have not met the standard prescribed therefor, such as not being in proper format, and that any other required information is required to be provided by the petitioners, they may address the necessary communication to the petitioners in that regard. Once the respondents Universities have all the necessary information, they shall consider issue of equivaleny certificates. Needless to observe that the authorities shall consider the petitioners' requests as expeditiously as possible and issue the equivalency certificates, if permissible under law.
With the above direction, the writ petition stands disposed of. No order as to costs.
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DAMA SESHADRI NAIDU JUDGE //true copy// P.S. To Judge st/-