SADANAND Vs. UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Petitioners are the students of the respondent- University namely, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru. They have averred that they have filed this writ petition in public interest for and on behalf of the other students of the respondent-University seeking the following prayers and interim prayer:

(2.) We have heard the learned Senior Counsel Prof. Ravivarma Kumar for Smt. Sharada Bai for the petitioners and learned counsel Sri. R. Srinivasa Gowda for the respondent-University and perused the material on record.

(3.) Learned Senior Counsel appearing for the petitioners submitted that the respondent-University has notified the Semester examinations to be conducted from 02nd September 2020 up to 18th September 2020. The entire mode and method of examination has been changed from what is found in the Regulations. No doubt, Corona virus COVID-19 pandemic is a factor which has to be taken into account while conducting the examination. But, the same would not be a reason to change the entire format of examination inasmuch as, in the place of offline or physical attendance of the students in the examination, only online examinations are being conducted. That the online examination would be contrary to and a departure from the usual method of conducting examination. This would be a hindrance to the students as, many students of the respondent- University hail from remote and rural areas. They may not have the technological acquaintance to appear in online examination. Further, the supply of electricity in the rural areas is very uncertain at the specific timings of the examinations. If there is non-supply of electricity, that particular student would not be enabled to appear in an online examination. In this regard, our attention was drawn to the Regulations of the respondent-University with particular reference to Regulations-7, 8 and 9. He contended that the total marks assigned for the offline examination is also not as per Regulation-8.7. Therefore, the very conduct of the examination is contrary to the Regulations. That the Academic Council which is a body entrusted with the responsibility of guiding all academic matters in the University has departed from the usual manner and method of holding the examination as per the Regulations and has decided to conduct online examinations, which is contrary to the Regulations.