In Brief
The appellants, holding Master's degrees in Microbiology and Food Science & Technology, applied for Food Safety Officer posts advertised by Jharkhand Public Service Commission. Though they cleared the written exam, they were disqualified during interviews on grounds that their post-graduate qualifications didn't meet the advertised requirement of an undergraduate degree. The High Court upheld this disqualification. The Supreme Court allowed the appeal, holding that the term 'degree' encompasses Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctorate degrees per statutory law. For Food Safety Officer posts, the Central Government prescribes qualifications exclusively; States cannot impose stricter criteria. Candidates with Master's degrees in prescribed subjects (all except Chemistry, which explicitly requires Master's level) qualify. The Court ordered the appellants be allowed to appear in interviews, with appointment on notional service benefits if they succeed.
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