2025:KER:29965 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE D. K. SINGH THURSDAY, THE 3RD DAY OF APRIL 2025 / 13TH CHAITHRA, 1947 WP(C) NO. 8544 OF 2024 PETITIONER(S): VINOD P., S/O.PEETHAMBHARAN P.K. AGED 35 YEARS VIJAYA BHAVANAM, VALLIKKODU KOTTAYAM P.O., PATHANAMTHITTA, PIN – 689656. BY ADVS. B.MOHANLAL P.S.PREETHA ASWIN V. NAIR BLESSY MARY SEBASTIAN JAYAPRABHA ARJUN PRAVEENA T. RESPONDENT ( S ) : 1 THE KERALA PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY, PATTOM PALACE P.O., THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, PIN – 695004. 2 THE KERALA WATER AUTHORITY REPRESENTED BY ITS MANAGING DIRECTOR, JALA BHAVAN, VELLAYAMBALAM, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, PIN – 695003. 3 STATE OF KERALA REPRESENTED BY THE PRINCIPAL SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT, GENERAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, SECRETARIAT, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, PIN – 695001. 4 THE DIRECTOR STATE COUNCIL OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND TRAINING, VIDHYA BHAVAN, POOJAPPURA P.O., THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, PIN – 695012. 2025:KER:29965 WP(C) NO. 8544 OF 2024 2 BY ADVS. P.M.JOHNY - SC P.C. SASIDHARAN - SC THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 03.04.2025, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: 2025:KER:29965 WP(C) NO. 8544 OF 2024 3 D. K. SINGH, J ---------------------------------------------- WP(C) No. 8544 of 2024 ---------------------------------------------- Dated this the 03rd day of April, 2025 J U D G M E N T The petitioner is an applicant for the post of Electrician in Kerala Water Authority, in pursuance of the notification dated 16.08.2022. The required qualifications prescribed for the said post in the notification are as follows: (i) “Pass in S.S.L.C. or equivalent. (ii) NTC in Electrician or Wireman (Awarded by National Council for Vocational Training) in respective trades after passing S.S.L.C. (iii) Current Wireman License.” 2. The petitioner, after completing S.S.L.C. in 2003 from St.Stephens’s H.S.S., Pathanapuram, joined Vocational Higher Secondary Course ‘Maintenance and Repairs of Domestic Appliances’ at IGM V.H.S.S., Manjakkala, Kollam and passed out in March, 2005 for which he was issued certificate in Ext.P3. 2025:KER:29965 WP(C) NO. 8544 OF 2024 4 3. The question which arises for consideration in this writ petition is that whether the petitioner’s certificate for Vocational Higher Secondary Examination is equivalent to the requirement for the post as per the notification dated 16.08.2022 i.e., NTC in Electrician or Wireman (Awarded by National Council for Vocational Training) in respective trades after passing S.S.L.C. 4. This Court, vide the interim order dated 01.03.2024, directed the Kerala Public Service Commission not to reject the application submitted by the petitioner pursuant to the notification dated 16.08.2022 and the 4th respondent SCERT was directed to take up the request of the petitioner for issuance of equivalency certificate pursuant to the letter dated 15.02.2024 in Ext.P13. 5. This Court issued a further direction on 20.03.2025 to the Kerala Public Service Commission and the 4th respondent for placing on record the decision taken by the 4th respondent regarding the equivalence of the educational qualification of the petitioner for the qualification mentioned in the notification. The 4th respondent, vide the communication dated 28.03.2025, found that the syllabus of the institute 2025:KER:29965 WP(C) NO. 8544 OF 2024 5 where the petitioner has obtained certificate did not include practical training schedule and important parts included in the trade syllabus and, therefore, the certificate obtained by the petitioner is not equivalent to the certificate required in the notification. In view of the aforesaid finding, nothing survives in this writ petition as the petitioner does not have the requisite qualification for the post of Electrician for which he made the application in pursuance to the notification dated 16.08.2022 published by the Kerala Public Service Commission. Hence, the writ petition stands dismissed. Sd/- D. K. SINGH JUDGE mea 2025:KER:29965 WP(C) NO. 8544 OF 2024 6 APPENDIX OF WP(C) 8544/2024 PETITIONER EXHIBITS Exhibit P1 THE TRUE COPY OF THE NOTIFICATION IN CATEGORY NO:316/2022 IN THE GAZETTE DATED 16/08/2022 ISSUED BY THE 1ST RESPONDENT Exhibit P2 THE TRUE COPY OF SECONDARY SCHOOL LEAVING CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION ISSUED BY THE SECRETARY, BOARD OF PUBLIC EXAMINATIONS, KERALA Exhibit P3 THE TRUE COPY OF THE MARK LIST FOR THE VOCATIONAL HIGHER SECONDARY EXAMINATION MARCH 2005 DATED 11/05/2005 Exhibit P4 THE TRUE COPY OF THE MARK LIST FOR THE VOCATIONAL HIGHER SECONDARY EXAMINATION MARCH 2005 DATED 23/05/2006 Exhibit P5 THE TRUE COPY OF THE CERTIFICATE DATED 11/05/2005 IN VOCATIONAL HIGHER SECONDARY COURSE IN MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS OF DOMESTIC APPLIANCES ISSUED BY THE STATE BOARD OF VOCATIONAL HIGHER SECONDARY EXAMINATIONS TO THE PETITIONER Exhibit P6 THE TRUE COPY OF THE DISABILITY CERTIFICATE ISSUED BY THE MEDICAL BOARD, GENERAL HOSPITAL, PATHANAMTHITTA DATED 13.03.2012 TO THE PETITIONER Exhibit P7 THE TRUE COPY OF THE SHORT LIST NO.06/2024/ERIIA DATED 12.01.2024 ISSUED BY THE 1ST RESPONDENT Exhibit P8 THE TRUE COPY OF THE G.O(MS) NO.118/2007/GE DATED 22.06.2007 ISSUED BY THE 3RD RESPONDENT Exhibit P9 THE TRUE COPY OF THE EQUIVALENCY 2025:KER:29965 WP(C) NO. 8544 OF 2024 7 CERTIFICATE DATED 14/12/2023 ISSUED BY THE DIRECTOR OF GENERAL EDUCATION, VOCATIONAL HIGHER SECONDARY, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM Exhibit P10 THE TRUE COPY OF THE RELEVANT PAGES OF THE CURRICULUM OF SUBJECTS FOR THE MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS OF DOMESTIC APPLIANCES COURSE CONDUCTED BY THE VHSE Exhibit P10(a) THE TRUE COPY OF THE RELEVANT PAGES OF THE ITI SYLLABUS FOR ELECTRICIAN TRADE Exhibit P11 THE TRUE COPY OF THE PERMIT NO.105417 ISSUED BY THE KERALA STATE ELECTRICITY LICENSING BOARD TO THE PETITIONER Exhibit P12 THE TRUE COPY OF THE CERTIFICATE OF COMPETENCY DATED 18.02.2013 ISSUED BY THE KERALA STATE ELECTRICITY LICENSING BOARD TO THE PETITIONER Exhibit P13 THE TRUE COPY OF THE COMMUNICATION NO.CLP2/10/2024/L.DIS DATED 15.02.2024 ISSUED BY THE 4TH RESPONDENT Exhibit P14 THE TRUE COPY OF THE FINAL RANK LIST NO.188/2024/ERIIA DATED NIL IN CATEGORY NO.316/2022 PUBLISHED BY THE 1ST RESPONDENT Exhibit P15 THE TRUE COPY OF THE NOTICE NO.ERIIA(2)/4001/23/EW DATED 22.02.2024 ISSUED BY THE 1ST RESPONDENT Exhibit P16 THE TRUE COPY OF THE APPLICATION DATED 26/02/2024 SUBMITTED BY THE PETITIONER BEFORE THE 1ST RESPONDENT AND ITS POSTAL RECEIPT RESPONDENT EXHIBITS EXHIBIT R4(a) A true copy of the order No. SCERT/10/2024-CLP2 dated 28/03/2025 along with translation