(1.) The petitioner in this writ application seeks for a direction to the Utkal University-opposite party No. 1 to declare her rank/position in Bachelor of Arts (Sociology Honours) of three year degree course examination, 1992 as first class First with distinction.
(2.) The case of the petitioner is that she took admission in the three year degree course of Bachelor of Arts (Sociology Honours) in Ravenshaw College, Cuttack in the year 1989. The aforesaid course is a three-year integrated course comprising of examinations at two stage i.e. pre-degree and final degree examinations. She completed the said course by passing the two examinations with roll number 1804C89018. According to the petitioner, the final degree examination is not a separate examination but it is integrated with the pre-degree examination. This is apparent from the fact that the Honours papers in pre-degree are known as Papers-I, II, III and IV and in the final degree as V, VI, VII and VIII. As per the practice in the Utkal University, the result of both the parts, namely, pre-degree and final degree (Honours examination) are to be taken into consideration to declare the rank or position of the examinee. To her surprise, without combining the marks of both the examinations, the Opp. Party No. 1 illegally declared the result basing on the result of the final degree examination on account of which she was deprived of setting her position/rank where as opposite parties 2 and 3 who are not entitled to get declaration as first class 'first' and first class 'second' respectively wrongly got that declaration.
(3.) In the counter affidavit filed on behalf of the Utkal University-Opp. Party No. 1 it has been pleaded that the plus three degree course comprises of two examinations i.e. (i) pre-degree examination, and (ii) final degree examination. A candidate is required to pass both the examinations separately and independently and the final result is published only when he/she clears both the examinations. The merit list is prepared only of the examinees of Honours stream. The petitioner having been submitted during the academic session 1989-90, declaration of her result is governed by regulation 12 (a) of Chapter-LIII as amended vide correction slip No. 964 which provides that classes will be awarded in both pre-degree and final degree examination separately. In view of the aforesaid provision, no exception can be taken for publication of result and awarding of rank on the basis of the marks obtained in the final degree examination. The University hasalso filed further affidavit on 25-2-1997 reiterating the same position and explaining the meaning of different correction slips is used from time to time.