IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT : THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE V.GIRI THURSDAY, THE 5TH JUNE 2008 / 15TH JYAISHTA 1930 WP(C).No. 1195 of 2008(P) ------------------------- PETITIONERS: ------------ 1. WILSON SEBASTIAN, PERUMANA, NARIYANGANAM P.O., KOTTAYAM. 2. DOLLY.C.M., THAIMATTATHIL, MUHAMA.P.O., ALAPPUZHA. BY ADV. SRI.J.OM PRAKASH RESPONDENTS: ----------------------- 1. THE KERALA PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY, P.S.C OFFICE THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 2. THE DISTRICT OFFICER, P.S.C.OFFICE, KOTTAYAM. 3. THE DISTRICT OFFICER, P.S.C.OFFICE, ALAPPUZHA. BY ADV. SRI.ALEXANDER THOMAS,SC,KPSC THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 05/06/2008, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: V.GIRI,J. ------------------------- W.P ( C) No.1195 of 2008 -------------------------- Dated this the 5th June, 2008 J U D G M E N T Petitioners applied for the post of L.D. Typists in various departments pursuant to the notification issued by the Public Service Commission. The dispute is whether the petitioners are qualified in terms of the notification. One of the qualifications prescribed in the notification is a pass in Computer Word Processing from the Kerala Government or equivalent qualification. Equivalent qualification was not declared by the PSC in with the notification. But it was later declared by notifications dated 15.12.2006 and 30.7.2007. Subsequently, PSC issued another clarification dated 11.9.2007 which is produced as Exhibit R1 (a). Public Service Commission had in its Circular dated 30.7.2007 declared that the courses offered by the 13 enumerated institutions in Computer Word Processing or Computer Applications will be treated as equivalent to the prescribed qualification by W.P ( C) No.1195 of 2008 2 the Circular dated 11.9.2007. It was made clear that only the certificate issued by the State Literacy Mission will be acceptable and the certificate issued pursuant to the courses undertaken at the District Level will not be treated as a qualification in terms of the notification. 2. In so far as the 1st petitioner is concerned he had undertaken a course only with the District Literacy Mission. According to the petitioner, Exhibit-P3 certificate was issued by the Director of State Literacy Mission certifying that the Diploma in Computer Applications certificate issued by the District Literacy Mission, Kottayam after the year 2000 is similar in Course content and all other aspects to that of the Diploma in Computer Applications Certificate issued by the State Literacy Mission Authority prior to 2000. 3. In so far as the 2nd petitioner is concerned, reliance is placed on Exhibit-P5 which is the certificate issued to the effect that the 2nd petitioner has completed the training course on Word Processing in the Institute of People's Education under the Ministry of Human Resource Development. W.P ( C) No.1195 of 2008 3 4. A counter affidavit has been filed by the Public Service Commission. 5. In so far as the 1st petitioner is concerned, reference will have to be made to the fact that in W.P.(C ) No.4505 of 2008 and connected cases, a direction is issued to the Public Service Commission to ascertain the views of the Director of State Literacy Mission, in the matter of equating the certificates issued at the District and State level. The Director had expressed a view that syllabus of the course conducted at the State level is different from that of the District level and the latter was intended only to empower self employment and not with an intention to enable the holders to apply for an appointment in Public Services. 6. Apparently, this view has been accepted by the Public Service Commission as per Resolution No.26 taken on 25.5.2008. The same principle would apply to the present case also. 7. In so far as the 2nd petitioner is concerned, it is pointed out that Exhibit-P5 is issued by an institution which is not one of enumerated institutions as such, apparently, Exhibit- P5 certificate shows that I.C.C. Infotech, which has issued the W.P ( C) No.1195 of 2008 4 certificate is affiliated to the Institute of People's Education, which functions under the Ministry of Human Resources Development. This is not sufficient for the purpose of treating the same as an equivalent qualification in terms of the Public Service Commission's clarification issued subsequently. For all these, I am not in a position to find an error in the stand taken by the PSC declining to treat the petitioners as qualified for the post of L.D. Typist in various Departments. The writ petition is bereft of merit and hence dismissed. (V.GIRI, JUDGE) ma W.P ( C) No.1195 of 2008 5