RAHUL SHARMA Vs. INDIRA GANDHI NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THE present petition is filed by the petitioner praying inter alia for directions to respondents No.1 and 2/University to permit him to continue with his B.Sc. (Nautical Science) course conducted by respondents No.1 and 2/University. THE second relief sought by the petitioner is to direct the respondents to send him on sea on-board training and to adjust the fee already paid by him for on-board training. Lastly, he has sought quashing of the order dated 31.03.2008 passed by respondents No.1 and 2/University, whereunder, the respondents reiterated an earlier decision of cancelling the admission of the petitioner and declined to regularize the same on account of his having submitted fake documents to respondents No.1 and 2/University.

(2.) AT the outset, counsel for respondents No.1 and 2/University states that the relief sought in the present petition at prayers (i) and (ii) have been rendered infructuous for the reason that respondent No.1/University has discontinued the B.Sc. (Nautical Science) course since January, 2009 and only those students are being permitted to continue with the course, who had taken admission prior to January, 2009. No doubt the discontinuation of the subject course by the respondents No.1 and 2/University, makes the first two reliefs prayed for in the writ petition, redundant.

(3.) IN the counter affidavit filed by respondent No.1/University it is averred that admission to the programme of B.Sc. (Nautical Science) takes place under two categories, i.e., sponsored and non-sponsored category. Under the sponsored category, the students approach the shipping companies and are directly admitted at the training institutes jointly recognised by respondent No.1/University and the Directorate General of Shipping, Government of INdia. The training institutes thereafter forward a list of admitted candidates alongwith their original testimonials to respondent No.1/University for confirmation of their admission and verification of their testimonial. Under the non-sponsored category, the candidates are selected directly by respondent No.1/University on the basis of an entrance test conducted by the University followed by an interview and on selection, they are allotted training institutes.