In Brief
The Supreme Court allowed an appeal by candidates seeking to participate in West Bengal's primary teacher recruitment despite not having completed their Diploma in Elementary Education (D.El.Ed) by the notification date. The Court held that the Recruitment Rules do not prescribe a cut-off date for obtaining qualifications; instead, the recruitment notification itself (dated 21.10.2022) explicitly authorized appearing candidates to apply, in compliance with the High Court's earlier direction. Despite precedent requiring qualifications by the application deadline, the Court exercised powers under Article 142 to validate the process as an extraordinary equitable measure addressing COVID-19 delays. The recruitment process was directed to continue expeditiously.
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