In a significant development,the Punjab and Haryana High Court has ruled that in order to become the Principal of a College,a lecturer will have to possess a PhD degree. Dismissing a petition challenging the rule of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and notification issued by the Chandigarh Administration,the High Court has made it clear that seniority in the list for promotion to the post of a Principal is not sufficient to become the Principal. So that a lecturer can become the Principal he/ she will have to possess a PhD degree. The degree coupled with the seniority will be considered for promotion to Principal. A petition was filed challenging the rules for promotion. The same was dismissed by the High Court today. In October,2010 the Central Administrative Tribunal had dismissed the petition filed by Achala Dogra,officiating Principal at Post Graduate Government College for Girls,Sector 11,Chandigarh. The petitioner had contended that a lecturer who does not possess the PhD degree but is senior in the list for promotion should be made the Principal. On the other hand,the UT Administration has argued that as per the UPSC guidelines,a PhD degree is a must for promotion to the post of a Principal. Showing little conviction in the averment raised by the lecturer,the High Court today dismissed her petition. Three officiating principals of government colleges had initially moved the CAT demanding promotion to the post of principal being the senior-most in the list for promotion. However,those lecturers who were not given the charge of officiating principal in 2009 had also moved the Tribunal stating that as per new rules introduced by the Chandigarh Administration in March 2010,for being a principal of a college,possessing a degree of Phd was a must. Terming the rules unconstitutional,counsel for the petitioners had stated that according to rules,for being appointed as a lecturer possessing the Phd degree is not a requirement and that after so many years of service a lecturer is now being asked to possess the degree to be appointed as a Principal. Calling the new rules as unfair,the petitioners counsel had demanded that those lecturers who have put decades of service and are at their fag end of their careers should be considered for promotion to the post of principal. On the other hand,counsel for those lecturers who have the degree had objected to the demand made by the non Phd degree holder lecturers. The counsel had rebutted the argument stating that the new rules drafted by the Administration have to be adhered to.
