VIJENDER KUMAR Vs. UNIVERSITY OF DELHI & ORS.

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This hearing has been done by video conferencing.

(2.) The present petition has been filed by nine students who are pursing the Master of Dental Sciences (hereinafter, "MDS") Post Graduate Programme at Respondent No.3 college i.e., the Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences (hereinafter, "MAIDS"). As per the Petitioners, students who have passed the second year and are pursuing the third year of the MDS programme are to submit a thesis as part of their course curriculum. The deadline for submission of the thesis, as per the amended ordinance of Delhi University (hereinafter, "DU") relating to post graduate MDS courses, was 15th October, 2020, extendable up to two weeks. However, the Petitioners were recently informed of the fact that they have to submit their thesis by 30th June, 2020, extendable up to 31st July, 2020 with late fee.

(3.) Ld. counsel for the Petitioners submits that the applicable Ordinance was amended on 20-21st July, 2019, which amendment was notified on the website of DU on 18th October, 2019. As per the said amended Ordinance, the deadline for submission of thesis is 15th October, 2020, extendable up to two weeks. Thus, it is the case of the Petitioners that the notice for submission of thesis by 30th June 2020, extendable by one month to 31st July 2020 with late fee is completely arbitrary as students were not informed of the advancement of the date for submission in time. Further grounds have been raised that fixing such a deadline for submission of a thesis at such short notice especially during a pandemic has created panic amongst the students.