W.P.(C) 12244/2025 Page 1 of 5 $~79 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI # CNR No. DLHC010569572025 + W.P.(C) 12244/2025 ANKIT YADAV .....Petitioner Through: Mr. Saaket Jain, Ms. Shivangi Anand and Mr. Ankur Singhal, Advocates. versus NATIONAL EDUCATION SOCIETY FOR TRIBAL STUDENTS & ORS. .....Respondents Through: Mr. Somesh Chandra Jha and Mr. Animesh Rajoriya, Advocates for R-1. Mr. Ashish Goyal, SPC with Mr. Vinod Kumar Tiwari, GP with Mr. Anurag Singhal, Advocate for R- 2. CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SANJEEV NARULA O R D E R % 04.08.2026 CM APPL. 77975-2025 (for correction in order dated 10th November, 2025) 1. For the grounds and reasons stated in the application and in light of no objection from counsel for Petitioner, the same is allowed. The appearance of Mr. Ashish Goyal, Senior Panel Counsel for Respondent No. 2 is deemed to have been recorded in order dated 10th November, 2025. 2. The application is disposed of. This is a digitally signed order. The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 06/08/2026 at 13:16:25 W.P.(C) 12244/2025 Page 2 of 5 CM APPL. 50654/2026 (for directions) 3. The Petitioner’s counsel states that the instant petition can be disposed of in terms of the decision of the Division Bench dated 3rd July, 2026, in Mohammad Anees & Ors. v. National Education Society for Tribal Students & Ors1. Counsel for the Respondents does not dispute the same. Accordingly, the application is allowed, and the main writ petition is taken up for disposal today itself. 4. The application is disposed of. W.P.(C) 12244/2025 5. The Petitioner impugns communication dated 3rd July, 2025, whereby his candidature for recruitment to the post of PGT (English) under the Eklavya Model Residential Schools has been cancelled. The said communication reads as under: “NESTS/H-1/76/HR Misc./2024-25 Date: 3rd July 2025 (Comp. No. 29247/Note#118) To Shri Ankit Yadav, Roll No. 148202214 Email ID: amityadav09021998@gmail.com Subject: Joining based on revised guidelines of UGC – reg. This is with reference to your letter dated 30th June, 2025 requesting for joining the post of PGT English as per the UGC guidelines dated 5th June, 2025 that validate two Academic Programs pursued simultaneously. 2. In this regard, it is to inform you that the UGC guidelines come into effect from the date of issue of its notification. The fact stated on 5th June, 2025 guidelines is applicable for implementation from the said date. Your case was not considered in the year 2024 based on the guidelines of April 2022 applicable at that point of time. Hence, your request for selection to the post of PGT English is not agreed to. 1 W.P.(C) 11316/2024 This is a digitally signed order. The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 06/08/2026 at 13:16:25 W.P.(C) 12244/2025 Page 3 of 5 This issues with the approval of the competent authority. (Kumud Kushwaha) Deputy Commissioner” 6. The controversy arises from the Petitioner’s simultaneous pursuit of two academic programmes, namely, B.Ed. and M.A. (English). 7. Taking note of the fact that the issue arising in the present petition was pending consideration before the Division Bench of this Court in Mohammad Anees, this Court, by order dated 13th August, 2025, issued notice and, in line with the interim directions passed by the Division Bench on 14th August, 2024, directed Respondent No.1 to keep one post of PGT (English), if not already filled, vacant to abide by the outcome of the present petition. Simultaneously, pleadings in the matter were directed to be completed. 8. Now, during the pendency of the present petition, the Division Bench, by judgment dated 3rd July, 2026, decided W.P.(C) 11316/2024, holding as under: “25. Suffice it to state, the guidelines now issued by the UGC makes it clear that even those two academic programmes pursued simultaneously before issuance of the guidelines in the year 2022 shall be treated as valid. 26. We are conscious of the fact that these clarified guidelines were neither referred by the petitioners nor the respondent no. 1 in their pleadings. If that be so, we are of the view that the stand of the UGC taken through the affidavit filed before the learned Single Judge in W.P.(C) 12244/2025, and the modified guidelines issued by the UGC need to be considered by the respondent no. 1 to take a decision on the validity of the qualifications of the petitioners for appointment to the posts of PGT (Hindi), PGT (English) and PGT (Economics). 27. The respondent No. 1 shall conclude this exercise within a period of six weeks from the receipt of the copy of this order. It shall pass a reasoned and speaking order. 28. If the decision of the respondent no. 1 is in favour of the petitioners then they shall be entitled to appointment on the aforesaid posts in This is a digitally signed order. The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 06/08/2026 at 13:16:25 W.P.(C) 12244/2025 Page 4 of 5 accordance with the Rules. Their seniority shall be fixed as per their merit in the selection, with notional pay fixation, but without entitlement to any arrears. 29. It is made clear that if the petitioners are aggrieved by any order to be passed by the respondent No.1, they shall be within their rights to seek such remedy in accordance with law. 30. In view of the above, the petition is disposed of along with the pending application.” 9. Thus, the Division Bench held that two academic programmes pursued simultaneously prior to the issuance of the UGC Guidelines of 2022 shall be treated as valid. 10. Counsel for the Petitioner submits that the Petitioner stands identically situated to the petitioners in the abovementioned matter, as he had also pursued the relevant academic programmes prior to 2022. This factual position is not disputed by the Respondents. 11. Accordingly, the present writ petition is disposed of in terms of the judgment dated 3rd July, 2026, passed by the Division Bench in Mohammad Anees. Respondent No.1 shall consider the validity of the Petitioner’s qualifications for appointment to the post of PGT (English) in light of the observations and directions contained therein. The aforesaid exercise shall be concluded within a period of six weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order by passing a reasoned and speaking order. 12. In the event the Petitioner’s claim is accepted, he shall be entitled to appointment in accordance with the applicable Recruitment Rules. His seniority shall be fixed as per his merit position in the selection process, with notional pay fixation, but without entitlement to arrears of salary. 13. It is clarified that if the Petitioner is aggrieved by the order to be passed by Respondent No.1, he shall be at liberty to avail of such remedies as may be available to him in accordance with law. This is a digitally signed order. The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 06/08/2026 at 13:16:25 W.P.(C) 12244/2025 Page 5 of 5 14. The writ petition, along with the pending application(s), stands disposed of in the above terms. 15. The date fixed, i.e. 18th November, 2026, stands cancelled. SANJEEV NARULA, J AUGUST 4, 2026 nk This is a digitally signed order. The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 06/08/2026 at 13:16:25