IAS appts in education dept row: MAT sets next hearing for Dec 22
The appointment of Trigun Kulkarni, an IAS officer, as director of the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (SSC-HSC board) on November 18, 2025, ignited the controversy.
PUNE: The Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal (MAT) on December 9 granted additional time to the state government to file its response in the ongoing dispute over the appointment of Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers to senior posts in the education department that are traditionally reserved for education-cadre officers.
The appointment of Trigun Kulkarni, an IAS officer, as director of the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (SSC-HSC board) on November 18, 2025, ignited controversy as director-level posts in the state’s education department have traditionally been filled through in-department promotions of education-cadre officers.
The case involves senior officers holding the rank of joint director in the Maharashtra education services, group A, administrative branch, who have challenged the posting of IAS officers to director-level positions under the state’s education directorates. The applicants argue that “these appointments violate rule 3 of the Recruitment Rules, which specifies promotion from within the education cadre as the sole source for filling directors’ posts. Also, the use of deputation rules that cap IAS appointments at 15% of the total director-level positions”. They claim that half of the current posts are being held by IAS officers.
During the MAT hearing on December 9, the learned chief presenting officer (CPO) representing the respondents requested additional time to file a reply. It was noted that despite a previous order directing status quo, the IAS officers in question had already assumed charge of their respective posts earlier this year on February 1, September 4, and November 19.
The petitioner clarified and said, “We received an order from the MAT yesterday. They have asked the state government to file an affidavit explaining the criteria for these appointments and on what basis they were made. The state government has requested more time to provide this explanation, so the next hearing will be on December 22.”
The tribunal has now scheduled the next hearing for December 22, listing the matter under the category ‘for urgent admission’. The status quo order remains in effect until the next hearing.
This extension gives the state government more time to clarify the rationale behind these appointments and respond to the claims of senior education officers. The case is seen as a potential turning point in determining whether academic expertise or administrative experience will guide leadership in Maharashtra’s education department.
