University Cannot Reject Candidate's Degree For Recruitment After Accepting Him For PhD Based On Same Qualification: HP High Court

The Himachal Pradesh High Court held that a university cannot reject a candidate’s qualification at the recruitment stage after having earlier accepted the same qualification for admission to a PhD programme. The Court relied on principles of fairness, consistency, and legitimate expectation, stating that institutions cannot take contradictory positions to the prejudice of candidates. The ruling protects individuals from arbitrary and retrospective disqualification, promotes transparency in academic administration, and ensures consistent application of eligibility standards. It strengthens accountability in recruitment and admission processes, builds trust in institutional decision-making, and reinforces the requirement of reasoned and non-discriminatory administrative conduct.