CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court has dismissed a writ petition challenging a single judge’s order regarding 1 per cent reservation of posts for sportspersons during appointment of assistant professors in different disciplines in Group A of Odisha Education Service (college branch) of government degree colleges in the state.
The OPSC had invited applications for 606 posts of assistant professors in different disciplines on October 8, 2021 with December 3, 2021 as the last date for submission of online applications.
Dr Archana Kanungo, a national-level Taekwondo player recognised by the Directorate of Sports, had during that time applied for the post of assistant professor in sociology under sports quota.
Though Kanungo was allowed to take part in the interview held on December 12, 2022, when her name did not figure in the list of qualified candidates published by OPSC, she filed a petition alleging the principles of horizontal reservation for sportspersons was not followed by the recruiting body.
Kanungo argued that as per the advertisement, one post which is 1 pc of the 12 vacancies in sociology discipline, was meant to be earmarked for sportspersons but it was not done by OPSC. However, the Single Judge dismissed the petition on November 24, 2023, following which Kanungo filed a writ appeal against it.
Meanwhile, expressing concurrence with the Single Judge’s order, the division bench of Chief Justice Chakradhari Sharan Singh and Justice SK Sahoo on Thursday said, “There were 12 posts in unreserved category of assistant professors in sociology. All the 12 UR posts have already been filled up. Without disturbing someone, who has been appointed against the aforesaid 12 unreserved posts, relief as sought by the appellant could not have been granted to her.”
The OPSC took a stand that 1 pc of the total posts advertised were reserved for sportspersons. In accordance with it, six sportspersons in all could be appointed depending upon the discipline against which each of them had applied. Only three persons had applied under the sportspersons category one each in commerce, Odia and sociology disciplines.
The petitioner secured marks less than the marks secured by the last person in the discipline of sociology in UR category.
The petitioner (Dr Archana Kanungo) could have been considered under the sportspersons category only if she qualified in the merit list prepared for UR candidates in sociology discipline, OPSC contended.