The reservation under the Persons Studied in Tamil Medium (PSTM) Act had allegedly been misused, thereby depriving genuine beneficiaries of its protection, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court said while dismissing a batch of petitions filed by the candidates against whom proceedings were initiated.
Justice B. Pugalendhi said reservation was a welfare measure adopted by the State to advance substantive equality by ensuring preferential opportunities in education and public employment for disadvantaged and underrepresented sections of society.
The State government enacted the Tamil Nadu Appointment on Preferential Basis in the Services under the State of Persons Studied in Tamil Medium (PSTM) Act, 2010, to promote and protect the interests of Tamil medium candidates, the court said.
The Act provided for 20% preferential reservation in all direct recruitment to State services for persons who had studied in Tamil medium. Correspondingly, the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) earmarked a separate 20% quota for such candidates, the court said.
However, the reservation under the PSTM Act had allegedly been misused, thereby depriving the genuine beneficiaries of its protection. Candidates who had not undergone their schooling in Tamil medium allegedly secured the benefit of the reservation by obtaining only the prescribed degree qualification through Tamil medium. Serious allegations had also surfaced that certain candidates procured fake degree certificates from various universities in order to avail themselves of the benefit of the reservation, the court said.
The court was hearing the petitions filed by N.A. Chanheetha and M. Kalaivani who were serving as Deputy Collectors, and K.C. Satish Kumar and S. Swapna who were serving as Assistant Commissioners (Commercial Taxes).
Pursuant to a HC direction, the DVAC conducted an investigation into the allegations of irregularities. The petitioners were provisionally selected by the TNPSC for appointment to Group-I Services under the PSTM quota.
According to the DVAC, the investigation disclosed several irregularities relating to the admission of the petitioners, the course of study pursued by them and the issuance of the PSTM certificates relied upon by them. It was said that the petitioners obtained their degrees through the Directorate of Distance Education, Madurai Kamaraj University, by enrolling through different Study Centres. However, in each case, discrepancies had been noticed.
The court held that it found no arbitrariness, perversity or illegality in the decision of the TNPSC in rejecting the petitioners’ candidatures and cancelling their provisional selection. The court dismissed the petitions.
Published – July 01, 2026 11:59 pm IST
