MAHENDRA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY Vs. THE ANNA UNIVERSITY

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioner Institute of Technology established in the year 2007 is affiliated to the first respondent university. Currently, it offers eight UG courses and three PG courses in Engineering and Technology with students strength of 2087. The petitioner Institute applied for autonomous status to the University Grant Commission (UGC) through online on 12/04/2019. As per the procedure, hard copy of the application was routed through the first respondent with an advance copy to the second respondent. Pursuant to the application, the Inspection Committee of the first respondent inspected the petitioner Institute on 08/05/2019 and forwarded its remarks.

(2.) Thereafter, the Second respondent (UGC) constituted an Expert Committee consisting an officer from the Southern East Regional Office of UGC, nominee of State Government and a nominee of the affiliating university (Anna University). On 20th and 21st July, 2019 the Expert Committee conducted inspection of the petitioner Institute and submitted its recommendation to the UGC. The Standing Committee constituted by the UGC, met on 31/07/2019 and conferred autonomous status to the petitioner Institute for a period of 10 years (2019- 2029) and communicated to the petitioner vide letter dated 05/08/2019.

(3.) After the conferment of autonomous status by UGC, the first respondent which is expected to issue necessary notification/orders regarding grant of Autonomous status as per Conferment of Autonomous Status Regulations, 2018 has wrote to UGC stating that, it reject the request of granting autonomous status to the petitioner Institute since, it does not fulfill the minimum examination performance prescribed.