K.Rekha, v. The Principal Secretary To Government,
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED : 10.12.2025
CORAM
THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE M.DHANDAPANI and W.M.P. No.5122 of 2024 K.Rekha, W/o. P.Mathan Raja, Assistant Professor, Civil Department, Government College Of Technology, Coimbatore - 641 013.
Petitioner(s) Vs 1.The Principal Secretary to Government, Higher Education (B1) Department, Fort St. George, Chennai-600009.
2.The Commissioner/Director of Technical Education, Guindy, Chennai-600 025.
3.The Principal, Government College of Technology, Coimbatore-641 014.
4.Dr.V.Jayanthi, Government College of Engineering, Bodinayakknur. 5.Dr.P.Senthamizh Selvi, Government College of Engineering, Salem.
6.Dr.K.Dhamodhara Kannan, 1/7
Government College Of Engineering, Thanjavur. 7.Dr.M.Rama, Government College of Technology, Coimbatore. 8.Dr. T.Murugesan, Thanthai Periyar Government Institute of Technology, Vellore.
9.Dr.V.Satheeskumar, Government College of Technology, Coimbatore. 10.Dr.S.Paulin, Government College of Engineering, Tirunelveli. Respondent(s) PRAYER: Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying to issue a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus calling for the records relating to the respondent herein G.O.(Ms)No.120 High Education(I1) Department dated 18.4.2023 by the first respondent herein and quash the same in for as including the names of the respondents 4 to 10 are concerned overlooking the Petitioner's claim and consequently and direct the respondent 1 to 3 include the petitioners name between S.No.20 and S.No.21 as S.No. 20(a) and confer the promotion post of Associate professor to the petitioner with effect from the date on which the petitioner's Juniors i.e. respondents 4 to 10 are conferred with the promotion post of Associate Professors and confer all the benefits with due regards to petitioners seniority.
For Petitioner(s) : Mr.R.S.Anandan For Respondent(s) : Mr.M.R.Gokula Krishnan 1 to 3 Additional Government Pleader For R4 : Not ready Notice For R5 to R10 : No appearance 2/7
ORDER
The writ petition is filed challenging G.O.(Ms)No.120 High Education(I1) Department dated 18.4.2023 issued by the first respondent herein and quash the same insofar as it includes the names of the respondents 4 to 10 overlooking the Petitioner's claim and consequently direct the respondents 1 to 3 to include the petitioner's name between S.No.20 and S.No.21 as S.No.20(a) and confer the promotion post of Associate professor to the petitioner with effect from the date on which the petitioner's Juniors i.e. respondents 4 to 10 are conferred with the promotion post of Associate Professor and to confer all the benefits with due regards to petitioner's seniority.
2. The learned counsel appearing for the petitioner would submit that the petitioner was initially appointed as Lecturer through Teacher Recruitment Board vide appointment order dated 20.07.2006 in the Government College of Engineering, Tirunelveli. It is stated that subsequently the post was re-designated as Assistant Professor in the year 2010 with effect from 05.10.2010 and the petitioner completed her probation on 11.04.2012. It is further submitted that the petitioner completed her post-graduate degree in the year 2010, thereafter she was conferred with Senior Grade on 05.11.2011 and Selection Grade on 05.11.2016. Pursuant thereto, the petitioner completed her Ph.D. Degree on 10.11.2022.
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3. The grievance of the petitioner is that the respondents released the panel for the year 2022-23 for promotion to the post of Associate Professor as per the impugned G.O.(Ms)No.120, High Education (I1) Department dated 18.04.2023. Thereafter, the petitioner's juniors namely respondents 4 to 10, were conferred with promotion to the post of Associate Professor, however the petitioner's name was not considered and her claim was forwarded to the 2nd respondent. It is the case of the petitioner that on 04.05.2023, the 2nd respondent called for list of names of qualified persons from the Principals of respective Government Colleges and that the petitioner's name was included at S.No.6 in the said list. The 2nd respondent had thereafter issues orders to keep in abeyance the fixation of pay to the promoted Associate Professors.
The petitioner thereafter proceeded to submit her objection on 10.05.2023, however without considering the same, an order dated 24.01.2024 was issued fixing the pay scales to the promoted Associate Professors. Challenging the same, the petitioner filed an appeal before the 2nd respondent on 29.01.2024, the same has not been considered till date. Hence, this writ petition.
4. Though the learned Additional Government Pleader appearing for the respondents 1 to 3 has filed a detailed counter, however, considering the request of the learned counsel for the petitioner, this writ petition is disposed of with a 4/7
direction to the 2nd respondent to consider the appeal filed by the petitioner on merits and in accordance with law within a period of twelve (12) weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order, after providing the petitioner a reasonable opportunity of hearing. No costs. Consequently, the connected miscellaneous petition is closed.
10.12.2025 Speaking (or) Non Speaking Order Index : Yes/ No mka To:
1.The Principal Secretary to Government, Higher Education (B1) Department, Fort St. George, Chennai - 600009.
2.The Commissioner/Director of Technical Education, Guindy, Chennai - 600 025.
3.The Principal, Government College of Technology, Coimbatore - 641 014.
4.Dr.V.Jayanthi, Government College of Engineering, Bodinayakknur. 5.Dr.P.Senthamizh Selvi, Government College of Engineering, Salem.
6.Dr.K.Dhamodhara Kannan, Government College Of Engineering, Thanjavur. 5/7
7.Dr.M.Rama, Government College of Technology, Coimbatore. 8.Dr. T.Murugesan, Thanthai Periyar Government Institute of Technology, Vellore.
9.Dr.V.Satheeskumar, Government College of Technology, Coimbatore. 10.Dr.S.Paulin, Government College of Engineering, Tirunelveli. 6/7
M.DHANDAPANI, J.
mka 10.12.2025 7/7