New Delhi (India), March 5: The Delhi High Court has issued a notice on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that challenges the recruitment process followed by the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) for selecting Young Professionals. The petition raises concerns over the allocation of special weightage for candidates with law degrees from top National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) institutes.
According to the PIL, the EPFO awards additional marks (ranging from 15 to 30 out of 100) to candidates who have completed their law degrees from one of the top 40 NIRF-listed institutes. The petition argues that this criterion discriminates against law schools that are not listed among the top 40 NIRF institutions, including many government-funded institutes, and constitutes a violation of the Fundamental Rights of equality under Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution of India.
The petition claims that such a practice is unfair, as it disregards the merit and capabilities of candidates from institutions that fall outside the top 40 ranking. The PIL contends that this allocation of weightage leads to inequality in the recruitment process, potentially depriving deserving candidates from other reputed institutions the opportunity for selection.
The Bench of Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyay and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela issued the notice to the concerned Ministry of the Central Government, and scheduled the hearing for April 23.
The petitioner’s plea highlights the significance of the weightage system in the selection process, arguing that it violates the principles of equality and fairness enshrined in the Constitution.