IN THE HIGH COURT OF ORISSA AT CUTTACK W.P.(C) No.30062 of 2022 Gagan Kumar Parida and others …. Petitioners Mr. Achyutananda Pattanaik, Advocate -versus- State of Odisha and others …. Opp. Parties Mr. P.K. Mohanty, ASC (for O.P. Nos.1, 2 & 4) Mr. S.N. Patnaik, SC (for O.P. No.3) Mr. Ajay Kumar Ray, Sr. Panel Counsel (for proform O.P. No.5) CORAM: JUSTICE MRUGANKA SEKHAR SAHOO Order No. ORDER 06.04.2026 (Hybrid Mode) 10. 1. The prayer in the writ petition is challenge to the prescription of CITS qualification i.e. Craftsman Instructor Training Scheme in the advertisement seeking appointment to Assistant Training Officer. The advertisement was being issued by the opposite party No.3-Odisha Staff Selection Commission dated 02.11.2022. 2. The learned counsel for the opposite parties are heard along with the learned counsel for the petitioner. Learned ASC, learned senior panel counsel and learned counsel for Staff Selection Commission Mr. Patnaik and Mr. Das, learned counsel for O.Ps.6 to 11 submit that the interim order has to be vacated in view of the judgment rendered by the Division Bench dated 31.10.2025 passed in W.P.(C) No. 29894 of 2022 which has settled all the issues raised in the present writ application. 3. Copy of the judgment by the Division Bench is available on record marked at Flag-‘T’. The said judgment was rendered by the Division Bench of which M.S. Sahoo, J. was member. At paragraph 5 of the judgment the challenge to prescription of CITS qualification has been noted. The paragraph-5 is reproduced herein: “5. The challenge in the writ petition is mainly against the condition that the participants intending to participate in the selection process for ATOs should have CITS qualification. CITS stands for Craft Instructors Training Scheme (CITS) qualification, under the aegis of National Council of Vocational Training (NCVT), New Delhi. The requirement of CITS qualification, which has been taken exception to by the petitioners and is challenged is mentioned at paragraph-4.B of advertisement and is reproduced herein : “4.B. The Career Assessment : i. 60% weightage fixed for marks secured in relevant technical qualifications i.e. Degree/Diploma or CTS out of 60 marks. ii. 30% weightage fixed for marks secured in Craft Instructors Training Scheme (CITS) qualification under the aegis of NCVT, New Delhi to ensure that CITS passed candidates are engaged as Instructors out of 30 marks. (N.B: Career assessment is based on guidelines of GoI/MoSDE vide letter No.19/03(08)/2015- CD dated 07.01.2016).” 4. The learned counsel for the opposite parties draw attention to paragraph 22 of the judgment and submit that the issue noted at paragraph-5 quoted above has been answered. Paragraph-22 of the judgment is reproduced herein: “22. The qualification prescribed, CITS has been made uniformly applicable and there is no intelligible differentia between the petitioners and other candidates for not applying the said notification/eligibility condition to the petitioners in the writ petition. The availability of candidates having CITS qualification is evident from the fact that as many as 171 candidates have been recruited as per the advertisement dated 02.11.2022 issued by the opposite party no.2(Odisha Staff Selection Commission) and have got appointment/posted by the opposite party no.3-DTET, office letter dated 20.01.2024. We may reiterate the government is vested with the authority to prescribe qualification for recruitment of any post under the Government establishment.” 5. In view of the authoritative pronouncement of the Division Bench, nothing survives for adjudication in the present writ petition. 6. Accordingly, the writ petition is disposed of in terms of the judgment dated 31.10.2025 passed in W.P. (C) No.29894 of 2022. All the interim orders passed earlier stand vacated. (Mruganka Sekhar Sahoo) Judge jyostna