Political science, public administration interchangeable for assistant professor post: HC

Punjab and Haryana HC has said that subjects, political science and public administration, are interchangeable as a qualification to be considered for the posts of assistant professor and lecturer, etc.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has said that the subjects, political science and public administration, are interchangeable as a qualification to be considered for the posts of assistant professor and lecturer, etc.

The HC division bench upheld the appointment of one Yudhvir as lecturer observing that it is the prerogative of the university to consider a degree of public administration for the appointment of a lecturer in political science (Getty Images/ Representational image)

The high court division bench of justice GS Sandhawalia and justice Jagmohan Bansal quashed a single bench order of 2017 in which the appointment of a person by Kurukshetra University, was quashed. The division bench upheld the appointment of one Yudhvir as lecturer observing that it is the prerogative of the university to consider a degree of public administration for the appointment of a lecturer in political science. “In the case in hand, in the advertisement, it was not clarified whether a candidate having master’s degree in public administration and having cleared NET may apply for the post of lecturer in political science,” the court said. He was having requisite qualifications in public administration and was selected for the post of political science.

It further added that being the premier expert agency and controlling authority, the University Grant Commission (UGC) clearly states that these two subjects are interchangeable. The court also referred to the 2009 judgment of the apex court in which it was held that a master’s degree in public administration is interchangeable with political science.

Those against the move had argued that the advertisement was unambiguous and the candidate having a master’s degree in public administration cannot be treated on par with a candidate having a master’s degree in political science. If the intention of the university was to treat both on par, nothing prevented the university to clarify in the advertisement about the same.

The court, however, said that the authorities have simply implemented judgments of the Supreme Court as well as regulations/instructions of the UGC and different instructions issued by the state government as well as different universities.

The court also took note of UGC’s argument that the candidates with master’s degree/NET either in political science as well as public administration may be considered for a faculty position in political science as well as public administration, depending on the requirement of expertise in the concerned higher education institution which may be decided by the institution concerned. The court found that UGC’s stand has been consistent in this regard.