SHREYA TULI Vs. NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FASHION TECHNOLOGY

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioner, who was pursuing the final semester of her bachelor's degree course in fashion and lifestyle accessory design with the National Institute of Fashion Technology, Delhi (hereinafter referred to as "the NIFT"), was required to work off-campus on a project under the guidance of the NIFT faculty and submit the project for appraisal as part of the prescribed curriculum. Guidelines for the internship, to be undertaken by the candidates, including the petitioner, were contained in an undated circular, issued by the Department of Fashion and Lifestyle Accessory Design, of the NIFT, annexed as Annexure P-2 to the writ petition.

(2.) In accordance with the above requirement, the petitioner applied to various design studios in India and abroad for her project and undertaking internship. She was accepted as an intern by the Bihain Design and Architecture Studio in Belgium (hereinafter referred to as "Bihain"), and by M/s Dolphin Creations Limited, in India (hereinafter referred to as "Dolphin"). The Bihain being a prestigious Design and Architecture Studio in Belgium, the petitioner decided to intern with it and intimated the NIFT, accordingly, vide e-mail, dated 4th October, 2017. As the acquiring of a Visa for travelling to Belgium, to undertake the afore-said internship with Bihain, was taking time, the petitioner, purportedly "by way of abundant Caution and to make use the period in India" joined Dolphin, in India, on 11th December, 2017, and commenced work on her project.

(3.) The writ petition avers that the petitioner was unable to secure a Visa for travelling to Belgium in order to take up internship with Bihain, and that, on this fact been brought to the notice of a course coordinator in the NIFT, she was informed that, as she had intimated the NIFT that she would be undertaking internship with Bihain, she could not change her internship to Dolphin midway.