Taj Mohammad case fallout: Education Department withdraws TGT seniority benefits
Photo used for indicative purpose only. Source internet
Shimla, Sep 7
Himachal Pradesh Education Department has partially modified the final seniority list of Trained Graduate Teachers (TGTs), withdrawing seniority benefits earlier extended to a section of teachers under the implementation of judgments in the Taj Mohammad versus State of Himachal Pradesh line of cases.
The department, through an office order issued recently and circulated on September 1, has withdrawn the seniority numbers assigned to TGTs appointed on a regular basis in 2006 and 2007 through a separate recruitment process conducted pursuant to the 2005 advertisement.
The decision follows the Division Bench judgment in LPA No.836/2025, Kaushal Chander versus State of Himachal Pradesh, decided on February 25, 2026. The court held that candidates who had participated in the subsequent recruitment process could not claim the benefits granted to those selected through the earlier 2002 recruitment process after a prolonged delay.
The Education Department has accordingly modified its final TGT seniority list issued on March 11, 2025. The seniority numbers granted to the affected teachers have been withdrawn with immediate effect, and their seniority would now be governed by the lists circulated on June 20, 2017 and March 10, 2022.
The latest action assumes significance following the Himachal Pradesh High Court’s April 25, 2026 judgment in Devinder Kumar and others versus State of Himachal Pradesh, which dealt extensively with contractual service, seniority and service benefits.
The State Government subsequently challenged the judgment before the Supreme Court, but its SLP No.24885/2026 was dismissed on July 29, 2026, paving the way for implementation of the judicial directions.
About the Author
