The students approached the apex court following Tuesday’s decision by a Division Bench of Justices Anil K Narendran and Muralee Krishna S, which overturned an October 30 order directing the university to accept their examination fees and permit them to take the tests beginning November 4.
Their petition seeks restoration of the earlier interim arrangement, permission to write the remaining papers provisionally and special examinations for any papers missed before judicial relief can be obtained. They argue that exclusion could cost them an entire academic semester even if their challenge to the disciplinary action eventually succeeds.
The petitioners, associated with the Students’ Federation of India, were suspended on September 1 pending an enquiry into events during a campus protest on August 13. Their challenge concerns both the continuing suspension and its consequences for their studies, including attendance and eligibility for examinations.
The High Court Division Bench accepted the university’s objection that the students had not established compliance with the examination regulations. It found insufficient pleadings demonstrating their entitlement to appear, particularly concerning minimum attendance and internal assessment requirements.
The judges also held that the Single Judge’s interim direction effectively granted substantial relief before the underlying dispute had been decided. The Bench set aside the permission while leaving the main petition challenging the suspension pending before the High Court.
The university maintained that the students lacked the prescribed attendance, had not completed necessary internal assessments and had failed to register for examinations within the deadline. It argued that judicial permission could not replace eligibility conditions governing admission to the tests.
The examination registration deadline, including the period allowed on payment of an additional fee, expired on October 23. The university submitted that applications required supporting documents, including attendance certificates and academic progress records, through the appropriate departmental authorities.
The students dispute the fairness of relying on attendance shortages arising during a suspension that prevented them from entering the campus and attending classes. Their Supreme Court petition argues that the university should not benefit from academic deficiencies allegedly created by its own disciplinary decision.
They also contend that objections concerning attendance and internal assessment were introduced during the university’s appeal, leaving them without an adequate opportunity to address those matters before the Single Judge. They maintain that provisional examination permission would not determine the legality of their suspension.
The October 30 order had expressly made participation in the examinations subject to the final outcome of the students’ writ petition. It stated that appearing for the tests would not confer an independent entitlement in their favour.
The dispute followed a protest during a university Syndicate meeting in August. Allegations against the students include staging a symbolic funeral targeting Vice-Chancellor Ciza Thomas, obstructing her departure and physically manhandling her. The students have disputed the allegations, maintaining that their demonstration concerned inadequate campus facilities and that the mock funeral depicted malfunctioning stage lights rather than the Vice-Chancellor.
Two police cases arose from the confrontation. The students say the first complaint did not allege a mock cremation or physical assault, while a subsequent complaint made by the Vice-Chancellor introduced those allegations. These competing accounts remain disputed and have not been resolved by the examination proceedings.
The university constituted an enquiry committee following an August 22 Syndicate decision.
(The article ‘SC to examine students’ exam plea today’ appeared first on Free Press Journal.)
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