1 | P a g e Serial No. 53 REGULAR CAUSE LIST HIGH COURT OF JAMMU & KASHMIR AND LADAKH AT SRINAGAR WP(C)/1171/2026 ZULAYKHA KHURSHID DIJOO …Petitioner/Appellant(s) Through: Mr. Qazi Rashid Shamas, Advocate Vs. UNION TERRITORY OF J AND K AND OTHERS ...Respondent(s) Through: Mr. Shah Aamir, Advocate CORAM: HON’BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE (ACTING) HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE MOHD YOUSUF WANI, JUDGE ORDER 20.07.2026 1. 1. Impugned in this petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India is an order dated 30.04.2026, passed by the Central Administrative Tribunal, Srinagar [“the Tribunal”] in OA./425/2026 titled “Dr. Zulaykha Khurshid Dijoo Vs. School Education Department” whereby the Tribunal has declined to pass the interim directions prayed for by the petitioner and has instead provided that the selection to the post of Lecturer (10+2) Environmental Sciences in the School Education Department in the category of Open Merit shall be subject to the final outcome of instant OA.\ 2. Briefly stated, the facts leading to the filing of this petition are that in terms of Advertisement Notification No. 07-PSC (DR-P) of 2024 dated 09.12.2024, applications were invited by the J&K Public Service Commission (PSC) for making selection to the post of Lecturer (10+2) Environmental Sciences in the School Education Department. The last date for submission of application forms as 2 | P a g e also the cut-off date for acquiring the eligibility was indicated as 09.01.2025. By a separate notification issued by the PSC, the date for filing applications was extended up to 17.01.2025. However, for eligibility 09.01.2025 remained the cut off date. 2. 3. Responding to the extension notification, the petitioner submitted her application form on 17.01.2025, appending therewith all the requisite documents, including MSP certificate issued by the University of Kashmir with regard to the petitioner having qualified the Ph.D. on 07.01.2025. The PSC did not consider the qualification of Ph.D., claimably possessed by the petitioner on the ground that the MSP certificate was dated 17.01.2025 that is, beyond the cut-off date, i.e., 09.01.2025. The petitioner was thus not awarded the six points earmarked for Ph.D. degree. 3. 4. It is with this grievance the petitioner has approached the Tribunal, seeking inter alia, a direction to the respondent PSC to consider her Ph.D. degree and award her six additional points. It was submitted before the Tribunal that if the six additional points were granted, the petitioner would make it to the select list under the Open Merit category. The matter was considered by the Tribunal and vide order impugned, the Tribunal while issuing notice to the other side provided that the selection of the Lecturers (10+2) in Environmental Sciences shall remain subject to the final outcome of the OA. 4. 5. The petitioner is aggrieved by the refusal of the Tribunal to reserve at least one post of Lecturer (10+2) in Environmental Sciences in the Open Merit category, so as to preserve the lis and to avoid turning of the writ petition infructuous in case the appointments are allowed to be made in terms of the selection. 6. Having heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the record, we are of the considered opinion that the petitioner has made out a prima facie case for indulgence. The interest of the 3 | P a g e petitioner, therefore, is required to be protected without commenting on the merits of the case, which is pending before the Tribunal. Suffice it to say that till the matter is considered on merits after hearing both sides, the respondent PSC, shall keep one post of Lecturer (10+2) in Environmental Sciences reserved. The interim order, is therefore, modified to the aforesaid extent and the writ petition disposed of accordingly. 5. 6. 7. (Mohd Yousuf Wani) (Sanjeev Kumar) Judge Chief Justice (Acting) SRINAGAR: 20.07.2026 Bhat Aadil