NAVEEN KUMAR Vs. PANJAB UNIVERSITY AND ORS.

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THE petitioner seeks through the writ petition a mandamus directing the respondents to award him a degree of honours in Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical), in that he has secured more than 70% marks in aggregate in first attempt. The petitioner's contention is founded on an assertion that he has secured 70% in aggregate in all the subjects and, therefore, he is entitled to be awarded with the honours degree. This contention is resisted by the University on a plea that apart from written examination, he has to qualify also in practicals which is brought through the internal assessment and he had in the first year failed to secure the minimum grade of 50% marks and since he obtained below 50%, he reappeared and cleared the second time. Consequently, the petitioner cannot be said to have secured the qualification to be awarded the honours degree.

(2.) THE issue hinges on whether in terms of the Regulations, there is any disqualification that the petitioner has secured on account of the fact that his own grading had been less than 50% in practicals and inasmuch as he had given the practicals through second attempt, and hence, he cannot be awarded with the honours degree. The relevant regulations would be 10, 11 and 14 which are reproduced as under: -

(3.) I allow the writ petition and direct the University to issue to the petitioner an honours degree in the manner that he has sought for through the writ petition. The writ petition is allowed on the above terms.