GAGANDEEP KAUR Vs. GND UNIVERSITY AND ORS.

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THE Punjabi University, Patiala was appointed by notification dated 23.5.2013 issued by Department of Higher Education of the State of Punjab as the authority competent to conduct centralized online counselling for B.Ed. course for the session 2013 -14. The petitioner applied for admission in the category 'Border Area' and was allocated Khalsa College of Education, Amritsar (respondent No. 2) for admission. She is aggrieved against the decision of respondent No. 1 dated 30.6.2014 withholding her result as 'RL (Regd.)'. It is alleged that the petitioner belongs to 'Border Area' and has submitted 'Border Area' certificate issued by the Naib Tehsildar, Attari, verified by Darshan Singh Sarpanch and concerned Patwari. It is further alleged that she has attained the qualification from Army Public School, Beas which falls under the 'Rural Area', which has also been verified by the Sarpanch and concerned Naib Tehsildar. After admission, the petitioner was issued Roll No. 92014058170 by respondent No. 1 and though the she had appeared in the examination yet her result has not been declared and hence, the present writ petition.

(2.) LEARNED counsel for the petitioner has submitted that in the online prospectus for the year 2014 -16 for the B.Ed. course, it is mentioned that "a candidate shall be eligible for admission under category (III) only if he/she is from a town/village within 10 miles from the International Border excluding the towns of Ferozepur and Gurdaspur or his/her town/village falls within the backward area limits. A certificate to this effect should be obtained from SDM/GA to DC/DC and SDO Civil". It is argued that there is no requirement to study for five years in 'Border Area'.

(3.) IT is further averred that in the notification dated 23.5.2013, issued by the State of Punjab, the same eligibility criteria is mentioned which has been referred to in the admission notice of the Punjabi University, Patiala and in para No. 6(d) of the notification dated 23.5.2013, it is specifically provided that guidelines issued by Punjab Government in its letter dated 6.6.1996 and subsequent instructions for the issuance of residence certificate/certificate for bona fide resident of Punjab must be adhered to in its letter and spirit. Para No. 6(d) of the notification is also mentioned in the reply, which is reproduced as under: -