In Brief
The Supreme Court examined whether a diploma in Art and Craft from Kurukshetra University, awarded through distance education, is equivalent to a diploma from the Haryana Industrial Training Department for the purpose of qualifying for Arts and Crafts teacher posts. The Court held that equivalence of educational qualifications is a technical matter requiring assessment of academic standards and practical attainments. Since the Kurukshetra course was distance-based while the Haryana course involved regular classroom and intensive practical training, they cannot be equated. The Court overturned the High Court's judgment, finding that general recognition of Kurukshetra University qualifications does not establish equivalence to a differently-structured practical training diploma. The State, as employer, is entitled to determine equivalence of qualifications based on job requirements.
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