PONNAIAYAH RAMAJEYAM INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITY Vs. THE SECRETARY, NATIONAL ASSESSMENT AND ACCREDITATION COUNCIL

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This writ petition has been filed for issuance of a Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondent to grant ?A? Grade to the petitioner's deemed university.

(2.) Heard the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner and the learned Standing Counsel, who took notice for the respondents. By consent, the writ petition itself is taken up for final disposal.

(3.) The case of the petitioner is that the petitioner University is a deemed University by virtue of the order passed on 04.01.2008 under Section 3 of the University Grants Commission Act. The Hon'ble Supreme Court by the order dated 08.09.2015 directed the National Accreditation Assessment Commissioner (NAAC), an autonomous body of the respondent, to assess the ranking of the University. The petitioner submitted the relevant fee for the Assessment of Ranking and the respondent appointed Peer Committee to inspect the petitioner University and the said Peer Committee submitted a report and awarded ?B? Grade with 2.95 grade points, which is less than 0.05 to get 'A' grade. The petitioner sent a communication to the respondent on 22.12.2015, expressing his intention to file an appeal and requested to furnish the format and prescribed fee for review of gradation. The Chairman of the Peer Review Committee submitted a report stating that the petitioner University would have been awarded 3.17 marks and thereby the petitioner would have been entitled to grant ?A? grade. Still the respondent has not been chosen to award ?A? grade to the petitioner institution. Therefore, the petitioner sent a representation dated 05.04.2016, followed by a reminder dated 29.07.2016.