Mere maternity-related delay and bona fide pursuit of litigation constitute "sufficient cause" for condoning significant delay in service matters. Statutory eligibility criteria and RCI-recognized qualifications must be strictly possessed by the prescribed recruitment cut-off date.

The applicant applied for the post of Special Educator (Primary) under Post Code 32/21 following an advertisement dated 04.03.2021

Although she appeared for the written examination, her candidature was rejected via notice dated 01.07.2022 because she failed to upload a two-year Diploma in Special Education recognized by the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) before the cut-off date of 14.04.2021

The applicant filed a Miscellaneous Application (M.A. 771/2025) seeking condonation of a 932-day delay, citing post-natal recovery and misleading assurances from officials

The respondents opposed the delay, arguing the recruitment was finalized and the applicant lacked statutory qualifications

1. Whether the applicant established "sufficient cause" to condone the 932-day delay in filing the Original Application

2. Whether the applicant met the mandatory eligibility criteria for the post of Special Educator (Primary) as of the prescribed cut-off date

The Tribunal applied the principle that "sufficient cause" for condoning delay under the Limitation Act must be construed liberally to advance substantial justice, focusing on the acceptability of the explanation rather than the length of delay

Regarding the merits, the court applied the "Rule of the Game" principle, which dictates that eligibility criteria established in a recruitment advertisement cannot be altered post-publication

It further relied on the statutory requirement of possessing an RCI-recognized qualification as mandated by the recruitment rules and the directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in Rajneesh Kumar Pandey Ors. v. Union of India Ors., which emphasizes that RCI qualification is a mandatory requirement for special teachers

Regarding the delay, the Tribunal found that the applicant’s post-natal recovery and parental responsibilities constituted bona fide circumstances beyond her control, and her continuous pursuit of remedies through representations and the High Court showed diligence

However, on the merits, the Tribunal found that the recruitment rules explicitly required a two-year RCI-recognized diploma by the cut-off date of 14.04.2021

The applicant failed to provide this document despite multiple recall notices

The Tribunal reasoned that statutory eligibility is non-negotiable and cannot be conferred retrospectively based on subsequent submissions or alleged verbal assurances from officials

It held that the applicant was ineligible for the post as she failed to meet the mandatory RCI-recognized qualification by the cut-off date

The court affirmed that the rejection of her candidature via Notice dated 01.07.2022 was valid and in accordance with recruitment rules

No costs were awarded