The Telangana High Court has delivered a significant blow to government job seekers, ruling that degrees earned through distance education study centres operating outside a university’s home state are legally invalid for public employment. The decision effectively disqualifies candidates who pursued qualifications from Andhra Pradesh-based universities via centres located in Telangana.
The ruling centres on the principle of territorial jurisdiction. The court clarified that a university established under the laws of a specific state cannot legally operate classrooms or study centres beyond its state borders. Consequently, any degree obtained through such "extra-territorial" centres cannot be used to secure a government post.
A Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice G.M. Mohiuddin, upheld the disqualification of several candidates vying for librarian positions under a 2022 notification. These individuals had obtained their Masters in Library Science (MLiSc) through distance learning from Acharya Nagarjuna University. While the university is based in Andhra Pradesh — with jurisdiction limited to Guntur and Prakasam districts — the candidates had attended study centres located within Telangana.
In reaching its conclusion, the bench leaned heavily on a 2013 University Grants Commission (UGC) public notice. This regulation mandates that state-established universities must function strictly within their own geographical boundaries and are prohibited from extending operations into other states.
The affected candidates had successfully cleared the initial selection process and were featured in the September 2024 provisional list. However, their progress was halted during certificate verification when authorities discovered the jurisdictional discrepancy. Although the candidates initially found success with a single judge — arguing that similar degrees had been accepted during the 2017 recruitment cycle — the Division Bench was unmoved by the appeal to past precedent. The court stated firmly that previous "irregularities" do not justify new ones, noting that a past mistake does not grant a legal right to its repetition.
The bench also dismissed arguments that the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act of 2014 allowed these centres to continue their cross-border operations. The judges ruled that the Act’s transitional provisions were never intended to override UGC regulations regarding a university's territory. Following this order, the Telangana Public Service Commission (TGPSC) is now cleared to proceed with the recruitment for 71 librarian posts, ensuring all successful applicants meet the strict legal requirements for their qualifications.
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