"Career Of About 4 Lacs Students Is At Stake": SC Extends Last Date Till Sep 15 For Grant of Affiliation To Over 750 Private Technical Colleges In UP
The Supreme Court while considering the fate of about 4 lakh students, has extended the cut-off date for grant of affiliation till September 15, 2023 in respect of applicant Technical Institutions/courses approved by All India Council For Teachers Education (AICTE) for the Academic Session 2023-24. Accordingly, the period for counselling also stands extended by one month thereafter. In this case, a miscellaneous application seeking an extension of time was filed in a 2012 matter titled, Parshavanath Charitable Trust & Ors. v AICTE.
It is to be noted that the Apex Court in the landmark judgment had noted that it failed to understand why the college was granted approval for the academic years 2008-09 and 2009-10 particularly when the Expert Committee was stated to have visited the premises on June 26, 2008 and found inadequacies in the report. Therefore, while imposing a cost of Rs. 50,000 on AICTE which was to be recovered from the salary of the erring officials involved in the erroneous approach had observed, “It is certainly a lapse on the part of the AICTE which cannot be ignored by the Court as it had far-reaching consequences including placing the career of the students admitted during these two years in jeopardy. Even though the High Court has directed allocation of these students in other colleges, their academic course certainly stands adversely affected and disturbed, for which the AICTE is responsible. In this regard, the Court cannot overlook such apparent erroneous approach and default which can be for anything but bona fide reasons”.
A bench of Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra thus observed, “Though normally we would not have entertained the application for extension of period, however, taking into consideration that the career of about four lacs students is at stake, by way of last opportunity, we are inclined to allow the application…”
AGI R. Venkataramani, AAG Sharan Dev Singh Thakur, SG Tushar Mehta, Senior Advocates Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi, and Atmaram Nadkarni appeared for the petitioners and Advocate Anil Soni appeared for the respondent.
- The Supreme Court accordingly, granted an extension for:
-date for completion of approval process up to October 31, 2023 and appeals/compliances process till November 30th 2023 to the Applicant/Pharmacy Council of India for the academic year 2023-2024.
The bench further extended the cut-off dates specified in the order March 24, 2023 for affiliation and completion of the Admissions process by the University to AICTE and the course of action approved courses institutions by a reasonable time.
Accordingly, the bench disposed of the matter.
Cause Title: Parshavnath Charitable Trust v. All India Council For Technical Education & Ors.
Click here to read/download the Order