NEETHU RAJAN Vs. UNIVERSITY OF CALICUT

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioners are stated to be students who had pursued technical education with the Calicut University, leading to the Degree of B.Tech, of the 2014 year batch. Their singular grievance in this case is that the Calicut University is not conducting supplementary examinations for various semesters of the said course and they say that this has put them to prejudice, since they are still waiting for their legitimate chance to write the said examinations for the last several months. They therefore, pray that the University be directed to conduct 'Marthon Supplementary Examinations' for all the semesters of 2014 B.Tech batch.

(2.) In response to the afore submissions made on behalf of the petitioner by Smt.Neethu Prem, the learned Standing Counsel for the Calicut University, Sri.P.C.Sasidharan, submitted that a counter affidavit has been filed on behalf of the respondents, wherein, they have clearly stated the number of chances that were available to the students of 2014 batch and further that, going by the averments in the writ petition, it can only be treated as a public interest litigation, since none of the details of the individual students - including as to the courses they are pursuing, the Colleges in which they are studying and the years in which their supplementary chances are required - have not been disclosed. He then submitted that since all the technical courses have now been transferred to the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University, the Calicut University is finding it difficult to conduct supplementary semester examinations for 2014 batch, but assured this Court that necessary action in this regard will be taken and apposite notifications issued at the earliest. He however, added that a time frame for this purpose cannot be fixed because of the on - going COVID-19 pandemic restrictions and also because the logistics required for this will have to be now ascertained, on account of the transfer of the courses to the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University.

(3.) When I consider the afore submissions, it is obvious that the petitioners only require their supplementary examinations to be now notified. The Calicut University does not have a case that a further supplementary chance cannot be given to the petitioners or to the other students of the 2014 batch. Therefore, the only question before this Court is as to when the supplementary examinations can be directed to be conducted.