Jharkhand HC Dismisses TGT Appointment Plea, Holds Candidate Below Cut-Off Not Entitled to Relief
W.P(S) No. 1398 of 2026
By Rishika Sinha
The Jharkhand High Court dismissed a writ petition seeking inclusion in the merit list for appointment to the post of Trained Graduate Teacher (TGT). The case arose from a writ petition filed by Anita Kumari Tiwary, who sought directions to the respondents to prepare a revised merit list for the remaining vacancies under Advertisement No. 21/2016 and to consider her for appointment, as she claimed to have secured more marks than the last selected candidate. Alternatively, she sought inclusion in the merit list dated 18.12.2022 prepared for the appointment of additional candidates pursuant to directions of the Supreme Court.
The petitioner contended that she had been unjustly excluded from consideration for appointment to the post of TGT (English) under the Unreserved category, despite her performance in the examination. The respondents, particularly the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC), submitted that the petitioner had secured 154 marks, whereas the last selected candidate in the relevant category had secured 186 marks, thereby clearly placing the petitioner below the cut-off in the merit list. A chart reflecting the comparative marks was also produced before the Court.
Justice Ananda Sen, after considering the submissions and examining the record, held that the petitioner had admittedly secured marks significantly lower than the last selected candidate and therefore no right accrued in her favour for appointment or even consideration at this stage. Accordingly, finding no merit in the claim, the High Court dismissed the writ petition. However, the Court granted a limited liberty to the petitioner by observing that since the appointment process was still ongoing, if it is found in future that any candidate with lesser marks than the petitioner is appointed in the same category and subject, the petitioner would be at liberty to approach the JSSC with relevant materials, and the authorities shall consider her claim in accordance with law.
