THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE L.NARASIMHA REDDY DATED: 02-11-2005 WRIT PETITION No.23450 OF 2005 BETWEEN: T.Archana and others . . .Petitioners And BSNL, New Delhi and another . . .Respondents THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE L.NARASIMHA REDDY WRIT PETITION No.23450 OF 2005 O R D E R: The petitioners are the students of final year B.Tech Course of a private engineering college in Warangal District. Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) issued a notification on 23-09-2005 in the Employment News, dated 23-09- 2005, inviting applications for selection of candidates for recruitment as Junior Telecom Officers. The selection is through a process of written examination, which was initially scheduled to be held on 27-11-2005 and later, postponed to 22-01-2006. The grievance of the petitioners is that so far as the educational qualifications are concerned, it was stipulated that the candidate must be a Bachelor of Engineering or Technology as on 03-10-2005. The petitioners contend that they are in the final year of Engineering Course and by the time the selection process is completed, they would secure the Bachelor Degrees in Engineering and still the respondents are not permitting them to apply. They seek appropriate directions in this regard. Sri A.Ravinder, learned counsel for the petitioners submits that the petitioners are almost at the verge of completion of their Graduate Engineering Course and in all possibility, they would complete the same, before the selection process is concluded. He contends that the respondents would have the benefit of more meritorious candidates, if the final year students of B.E. Degree Course, are also permitted to apply. Sri B.Narasimha Sarma, learned Standing Counsel for the respondents, on the other hand, submits that once a particular date has been stipulated for the purpose of recruitment, in the context of obtaining qualifications, it cannot be interfered with in any manner. The notification stipulates that only such candidates, who hold Bachelor of Engineering or Technology Degrees as on 03-10-2005, will be eligible to apply for the posts in question. Even if an extended meaning is to be given to the same, at the best the candidates, who have taken their final year examination before that date, can be extended the facility of appearing in the screening test. By no stretch of imagination, a candidate, who is yet to appear in the final year examination by 03-10-2005, can be permitted to take part in the recruitment. This Court does not find any basis to grant any relief to the petitioners. The Writ Petition is accordingly dismissed. There shall be no order as to costs. _________________________ (L.NARASIMHA REDDY, J) 2nd NOVEMBER, 2005. kvni