B.Naveen v. The Teachers Recruitment Board
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED: 18-02-2026
CORAM
THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE M.DHANDAPANI B.Naveen ..Petitioner(s) Vs
1. The Teachers Recruitment Board, Rep. by its Chairman, EVK Sampath Buildings, Chennai 600006.
2. The Directorate Of Technical Education, Rep. by its Director, No.53 Sardar Patel Road, Guindy, Chennai 600025.
3. The Principal, Government Polytechnic College, Dr.Radhakrishnan Nagar, Kamarajar Salai, Tondiarpet, Chennai 600081.
..Respondent(s) Prayer: This writ petition is filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying to issue a Writ of Mandamus directing the 3rd Respondent to issue the certificate for the teaching experience rendered under the 3rd respondent and to direct the 1st respondent to accept the same in the subject selection to the post of Assistant Professors in Tamil Nadu Collegiate Educational Service for Government Arts and Science Colleges pursuant to the Notification No.4/2025 dated 16.10.2025 issued by the 1st respondent and award marks for the teaching experience rendered in the polytechnic college.
For Petitioner(s) :
Mr.N.Subramaniyan For Respondent(s) :
Mr.C.Kathiravan for R1 Mr.M.R.Gokulakrishnan, AGP for R2
ORDER
This writ petition has been filed to direct the third respondent to issue the certificate for the teaching experience rendered under the 3rd respondent and to direct the 1st respondent to accept the same in the subject selection to the post of Assistant Professors in Tamil Nadu Collegiate Educational Service for Government Arts and Science Colleges pursuant to the Notification No.4/2025 dated 16.10.2025 issued by the 1st respondent and award marks for the teaching experience rendered in the polytechnic college.
2. Learned counsel for the petitioner would submit that the petitioner completed a B.Sc. in the year 2010, an M.Sc. in the year 2012, and obtained a Ph.D. in the year 2018, having also cleared the NET/SET in 2012. He served as an Assistant Professor at Vel Tech Multi Tech Dr. Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala Engineering College from 20.01.2022 to 25.08.2022. Subsequently, he was selected through direct recruitment by the first respondent board and appointed as a Lecturer in a Government Polytechnic College, a position he holds to date. The petitioner applied for the post of Assistant Professor in the Tamil Nadu Collegiate Educational Service for Government Arts and Science Colleges, as
per the notification dated 16.10.2025 (notifying 2,708 vacancies). The notification provides a maximum weightage of 15 marks for teaching experience gained by UGC-qualified Guest Lecturers or Assistant Professors in Government, Aided, or Private Colleges. Since the notification does not explicitly include the teaching experience gained as a Lecturer in Polytechnic Colleges, the third respondent has refused to issue an Experience Certificate that would allow the petitioner to claim these weightage marks. Hence, the petitioner has come forward with the present writ petition.
3. Learned standing counsel appearing for the first respondent would submit that the letter received from the Principal Secretary to Government, Higher Education (F2) Department, vide Letter (D) No.40, dated 03.03.2020, pertaining to the work experience certificate has been clearly stated as follows: "It is hereby clarified that the teaching experience gained from Polytechnic Colleges cannot be considered equivalent to that gained from Arts and Science Colleges since degree level teaching experience is sought for the purpose of Direct Recruitment of Assistant Professors in Government Arts and Science Colleges and Colleges of Education and the syllabi of Polytechnic Colleges are equivalent to the higher secondary level only."
Therefore, the work experience gained in a Polytechnic College is not eligible for awarding experience marks, in accordance with the relevant Government Orders and Rules, while applying for the post of Assistant Professor in Government Arts and Science Colleges and Government Education Colleges.
4. Heard the learned counsel on either side and perused the materials available on record.
5. The facts of the case are not in dispute. According to the respondents, weightage marks are only applicable for experience gained as a Lecturer at the college level, excluding experience from polytechnic colleges. However, Clause 2.23 of the AICTE notification dated 01.03.2019 explicitly states that experience at degree-level institutions is equivalent to experience at diploma-level institutions, provided the scale of pay, qualifications, and research contributions are identical for the post under consideration. This notification was subsequently adopted by the Higher Education Department in G.O.Ms.No.19 dated 14.01.2020. In the present case, there is no disparity in the pay scales between Lecturers in Polytechnic Colleges and Assistant Professors in Colleges. Consequently, the respondents' submission directly contradicts the aforementioned notifications and government orders.
6. In view of the above, this Court directs the third respondent to issue an experience certificate to the petitioner, so as to enable him to produce the same before the first respondent for obtaining the weightage mark, within a period of two weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order.
With the aforesaid direction, this writ petition stands disposed of. No costs.
18-02-2026 Index: Yes/No Speaking/Non-speaking order VM To:
1. The Chairman, The Teachers Recruitment Board, EVK Sampath Buildings, Chennai 600006.
2. The Director, The Directorate of Technical Education, No.53 Sardar Patel Road, Guindy, Chennai 600025.
3. The Principal, Government Polytechnic College, Dr.Radhakrishnan Nagar, Kamarajar Salai, Tondiarpet, Chennai 600081.
M.DHANDAPANI, J.
VM 18-02-2026