Madras High Court Upholds Validity of One-Year LLM Degree for Public Appointments or Universities

The Madras High Court held that a one-year LL.M. degree recognized by the University Grants Commission (UGC) is a valid qualification for appointments in public departments or universities.

The court noted that the recruitment notification did not mandate a two-year LL.M., and excluding candidates based solely on duration without a valid basis would amount to arbitrary and discriminatory treatment.

The Court further noted that the one-year LL.M. is accepted for Ph.D. admissions and includes a research component, making it academically equivalent.

Accordingly, the teacher's Recruitment Board was directed to include the petitioner’s name in the selection list and issue the appointment order.