Orissa High Court: B.Tech Degree Holders Ineligible for Junior Engineer Posts

The Orissa High Court has ruled that candidates with an engineering degree cannot apply for Junior Engineer (JE) posts in various government departments. The court upheld that a Diploma in Engineering is the mandatory qualification for these positions.

A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Arindam Sinha and Justice M.S. Sahoo upheld a previous verdict and dismissed multiple petitions challenging the diploma requirement for JE posts.

The controversy arose after the Orissa Staff Selection Commission (OSSC) issued an advertisement in December 2023 for the Combined Technical Services Recruitment Examination for JE appointments. Several B.Tech graduates challenged the requirement, arguing that degree holders should also be eligible. However, the single-judge bench ruled that only diploma holders could apply. Dissatisfied with the decision, some B.Tech graduates appealed, but the High Court reaffirmed the earlier ruling.

The court emphasized the distinction between different engineering cadres, stating that the work of a Junior Engineer is meant for diploma holders, while the role of an Assistant Executive Engineer requires a higher qualification of a degree in engineering.

“The government has clearly demonstrated a separation of cadre, ensuring that diploma holders and degree holders serve distinct roles,” the bench observed.

With this ruling, the court has reinforced the state’s policy of maintaining separate job categories for diploma and degree engineers in public sector recruitment.