NAMITA SAHRAWAT Vs. SWARAN JAYANTI KANYA PRODYOGIKI SANSTHAN

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioner passed the Senior School Certificate Examination, 1998 conducted by the CBSE securing 219 marks in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics i.e. 73% marks in the aforesaid papers. She applied for admission to the four years Bachelor of Engineering Full Time Course in the Swaran Jayanti Kanya Prodyogiki Sansthan, Delhi (respondent No. 1) However her name did not appear in the list of selected candidates published by the respondent. According to the petitioner, she belongs to a Scheduled Caste and on the basis of the marks secured by her in the SSC Examination her name should have been included at Serial No. 16 or 17 in the merit list. Though candidates at Serial Nos. 17 to 24 had secured less marks, the petitioner's name was not included in the list I since she had not completed 17 years of age on or before 1st October, 1998. As per the prospectus issued by the respondents, an applicant for admission to the above mentioned course must be 17 years of age on or before 1st October of the year in which she seeks admission and no relaxation of age shall be granted. Aggrieved by the denial of admission to the course on the ground that she had not completed 17 years of age on or before 1.10.1998 the petitioner has filed this writ petition praying for a direction to the respondents to admit the petitioner to the course. She has also prayed for quashing the requirement that an application for admission to the course in question must be 17 years of age on or before 1st October, 1998.

(2.) . In response to the notice to show cause why the petition be not admitted respondents have filed a reply/counter affidavit defending the provision in the prospectus relating to the requirement of minimum age and justifying the denial of admission to the petitioner. In paragraph (4) of the counter affidavit the requirement of minimum age is defended in the following terms :

(3.) . The impugned provision relating to minimum age is contained in Clause 6 of the prospectus 1998-99 (Annexure PI) which is extracted below :-