Himachal HC rules PG Diploma not equivalent to PG Degree for Assistant Professor

In a recent judgment, the Himachal Pradesh High Court has ruled that a postgraduate diploma cannot be considered equivalent to a postgraduate degree for promotion to the post of Assistant Professor under the Himachal Pradesh Medical Education Services Rules, 1999.

After going through the provisions of the rules, the HC bench comprising Justice Vivek Singh & Justice Sushil Kukreja observed, "Bare reading of the provisions includes that prescribed essential qualification is Post Graduation Degree or its equivalent qualification with condition that such candidate must possesses 3 years teaching experience after doing Post Graduation. The word ‘after doing Post Graduation’ relates to the minimum essential qualification, i.e. Post Graduation Degree in concerned speciality or its equivalent. In case, there would have been intention to include teaching experience after doing Post Graduation Diploma, then it would have been mentioned specifically in the Rules that teaching experience can be gained after doing either Post Graduation Decree or Diploma. There is no reference of Post Graduation Diploma in the essential qualification, therefore, meaning of words ‘after doing Post Graduation’ has to be construed as “after doing Post Graduation Degree”.