In Brief
Reserved category teacher candidates in Maharashtra who scored higher on the main selection test (TAIT) but used relaxed qualifying marks in an eligibility test (TET) sought inclusion in the unreserved merit list. The Supreme Court allowed their migration, holding that relaxation in qualifying criteria only enables participation in the main examination and does not affect merit determination. Since merit is solely based on TAIT performance and no recruitment rule expressly prohibits migration, reserved candidates scoring higher than the last selected general category candidate are entitled to be considered for unreserved vacancies. The Court distinguished prior precedent and upheld equality principles while reinforcing rule-based recruitment practices.
The lawyer headnote and full judgment text are available to registered users.