K. JAGADEESAN vs UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS

The Supreme Court upheld the validity of the 1984 amendment to the Geological Survey of India Recruitment Rules, which required a degree in Engineering for promotion to the post of Director (Mechanical Engineering). The Court clarified that a mere chance of promotion does not constitute a condition of service under Article 309 of the Constitution, and that the amendment did not have retrospective effect as it did not revert the appellant from his current position. The Court emphasized that the government has the discretion to set qualifications for promotion, provided they are not unreasonable or irrelevant.