THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE L.NARASIMHA REDDY WRIT PETITION No.25446 of 2010 ORDER: The petitioner joined the services of Sri Venkateswara High School, Tirupathi established by respondent No.1-University on 01.09.1978 as Secondary Grade Assistant. Thereafter, he was promoted as School Assistant on 09.04.1999. The post of Head Master of the School fell vacant on account of the retirement of the incumbent. Respondent No.2 joined the institution as Secondary Grade Teacher on 05.02.1992 and was promoted as School Assistant on 08.12.1999. Respondent No.1 appointed respondent No.2 as in-charge Head Master for the institution through proceedings, dated 30.09.2010. The petitioner feels aggrieved by the same. He contends that he is senior almost one and half decades to respondent No.2 and that there was absolutely no justification for respondent No.1 in appointing respondent No.2 as in-charge Head Master. Respondent No.1 filed a counter-affidavit. It is stated that the qualifications for the post of Principal are that a candidate must possess P.G. Degree and must have passed the Accounts Test conducted by the Government. It is stated that the petitioner does not possess the P.G. qualification nor did he pass the Accounts Test and Respondent No.2 has been chosen on account of the fact that he is a Post Graduate. Respondent No.2 filed a counter-affidavit almost on the same lines. It, no doubt, true that the Regulations for the post of Head Master stipulate that a candidate must possess P.G. Degree, B.Ed. Degree, must have put in 8 years of service with those qualifications and must have passed the Accounts Test and that the petitioner does not hold the two qualifications, namely P.G. and pass in Accounts Test. The contention of the petitioner that the Service Rules that are applicable to the Head Masters in Government Schools must be applied cannot be accepted, since the University has framed its own regulations. Though respondent No.2 holds a P.G. Degree, he too did not pass the accounts test. The question as to whether there exists any exemption of that qualification, needs to be considered while making regular appointments. As of now, the petitioner as well as respondent No.2 virtually stands on the same footing, though with some variation. When the School Assistant is the feeder category for appointment to the post of Head Master, at least in the context of making the in-charge arrangement, the seniority must be taken into account. Respondent No.1 ought to have preferred the petitioner. Hence, the writ petition is allowed and the impugned proceedings are set aside. Respondent No.1 shall place the petitioner as in-charge in the post of Head Master till the regular appointment takes place. There shall be no order as to costs. _______________________ L.NARASIMHA REDDY,J Dt:18.10.2011. kdl