Pune: Recruitment for 66 vacancies in three categories of librarian posts, advertised by the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER), has run into a dispute, leaving hundreds of ‘overqualified’ candidates in a professional limbo and challenging the department’s eligibility criteria in the Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal (MAT).Candidates alleged that despite holding bachelor’s or master’s degrees in library science, they were being denied eligibility by DMER, which has insisted that applicants must have either a six-month certificate course or a diploma in library science, as per the Recruitment Rules of 1986.An aggrieved candidate said, “Our advanced degrees should automatically satisfy the requirement for a basic certificate. Many universities stopped offering the old diploma or certificates in the 1960s after University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines recommended converting diplomas into degree courses to improve standards,” he said.He said, “The Directorate of Libraries used to offer a two month certificate course which was converted to 6 month, but that batch did not pass out before the advertisement to these posts was issued last year in June.”“You cannot have an eligibility rule that allows only a few students from some courses while excluding those from established state universities who have done the advanced level of the same course because the universities don’t offer the lower level,” he said.The dispute has now moved to the Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal (MAT), with the first set of petitions filed on June 24, 2026. Students alleged that even among the 55 candidates found eligible under the strict rules, the majority do not have a 6 month certificate and instead have a two month certificate.A senior official from the DMER spoke to TOI and clarified that this contention was incorrect, as such courses continued to be offered by several recognised universities and institutions, as well as the Directorate of Libraries itself.“We had sought the advice of the Law and Judiciary Department, which asked us to stick strictly to the letter of the advertised rules. Citing various Supreme Court precedents, the department told us that higher qualifications cannot be treated as a substitute unless the rules expressly say so,” said the official.While students have argued that in earlier exams, candidates with B.Lib and M.Lib were considered for the same posts, according to the DMER official, the Law and Judiciary dept has advised that the irregular practice followed in an earlier recruitment process cannot justify the continuation of a procedure inconsistent with the Recruitment Rules.“DMER’s arbitrary decisions reflected favouritism and undermined meritocracy. Such actions harm deserving students and jeopardise India’s educational interests and future growth,” Akshay Jain, chairperson of the media cell for Maharashtra Youth Congress.
