E.VIJAYABHARATHI Vs. THE REGISTRAR

JUDGEMENT

(1.) In view of the fact that the issue involved in all these Writ Petitions are one and the same, the Writ Petitions are taken up together and disposed by this Common Order.

(2.) The petitioners in all the Writ Petitions have joined B.Arch (five year Course) and B.E. Civil Engineering Courses (four years course) in the year 2014 and 2015 respectively in the second respondent college and completed their course in 2019 with Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 6.9, 6.91, 6.98, 6.59, 8.45 and 6.136 respectively out of 10 marks by awarding first class with distinction, first class and second class respectively. According to the evaluation system existed at the time of their admission, a student who secured CGPA of less than 6.5 shall be declared to have been passed the examination in "Second Class"; not less than 6.5 shall be declared to have been passed the examination in "First Class" and not less than 8.0 shall be declared to have been passed the examination in "First Class with Distinction". After having successfully passed in the Engineering Courses, some of the the petitioners have got placement and working at present in private companies by considering their distinctive score of marks obtained and some of them have applied for pursuing their higher studies. While so, the second respondent college orally directed the petitioners to produce the original mark statements for replacing the same with lower grade as per the Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) of Regulations 2015. According to the petitioner in WP.(MD)No.4736 of 2020, the petitioner has got to be awarded with First Class but unfortunately, she was awarded with Second Class which is highly contrary to the regulations which were in force at the time of her admission. The second respondent college introduced a new Regulations applicable for the students of B.E./B.Tech. programme admitted from the academic year 2015-16 under Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) of Regulations, 2015. According to the petitioners, as the petitioners have joined the course in the academic year 2014 and 2015 and the grading system which was in existence at the time of their admission has only to be applied to them and not the new system which was introduced subsequently. Therefore, the petitioners have come forward with the above Writ Petitions seeking to award the Grade/Class based on the evaluation system existed at the time of their admission into the courses and not the new system of evaluation which was introduced subsequently as it would severely affect their career.

(3.) The first respondent Anna University filed a counter stating that as some of the autonomous colleges were adopting regulations leading to the dilution of the standards set by the University, the Anna University had proposed and approved a uniform grading and classification of degree all through the years of being an affiliated university. Further, a uniform method of classification has been suggested to the autonomous colleges as per the direction contemplated by the Tamil Nadu State Council for Higher Education in order to standardize and normalize grading system, which will not discriminate students of the same university and lead to dilution of standards.