T.Edwin Singh v. The Government Of Tamil Nadu
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED : 21.08.2025
CORAM
THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE C.KUMARAPPAN and W.M.P.Nos.3686 and 3687 of 2024 T.Edwin Singh ... Petitioner Vs.
1.The Government of Tamil Nadu Represented by its Principal Secretary Department of Higher Education Fort. St. George, Chennai 600009 2.The Anna University of Technology Rep. by its Regional Director - Research Regional Office, Tirunelveli 627007 3.The Anna University Rep. by its Director - Center for Research Sardar Patel Road, Chennai 600025 ... Respondents 1/8
Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying to issue a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus, calling for the records pertaining to the Impugned Order vide Lr. No.2011130148/Ph.D/AR13 dated 26.10.2023 passed by the 3rd respondent and quash the same as illegal and further direct the 3rd respondent to consider the Petitioner's E-Mail representation dated 03.11.2023 and postal representation dated 07.11.2023 and grant such appropriate time as this Court may deem fit for the Petitioner to resubmit his synopsis.
For Petitioner : Mr.Akshai Sajin Kumar For R1 : Mr.S.Arumugham Government Advocate For R2 and R3 : Mr.U.Bharanidharan
O R D E R
The present writ petition has been filed challenging the impugned order passed by the 3rd respondent, vide Lr. No.2011130148/Ph.D/AR13, dated 26.10.2023 by and in which the 3rd respondent has addressed a letter to the Guide of the petitioner saying that the petitioner has not paid the Thesis fees and that the petitioner was also informed about the discrepancy in the Thesis, whereas the petitioner did not resubmit the same. Hence, his Ph.D., Registration was cancelled against which the present writ petition is filed. 2/8
2. Heard the learned counsel for both sides and perused the materials available on record.
3. The learned counsel for the petitioner would submit that the petitioner enrolled himself as a Part Time Ph.D., Programme in Anna University of Technology, Tirunelveli, for the research of 'Low Power PLL for Multi GIG Hertz Communication System'. The learned counsel for the petitioner would further submit that he was supposed to have completed his Ph.D., Degree before 31.12.2016 and the time was extended upto 30.06.2018. However, when he submitted his synopsis, the 3rd respondent informed that his Synopsis contained 40% plagiarized materials and directed him to upload his own Synopsis and even while uploading the corrected one, the 3rd respondent found same defect and returned the same. In the meanwhile, there is a long delay. Therefore, there is no fault on the part of the petitioner. Hence, prayed to quash the impugned order.
4. Per contra, the learned counsel appearing for the respondents 2 and 3 would vehemently submit that the petitioner was selected for a Ph.D., course on 19.02.2011 and his Provisional Registration was confirmed on 3/8
21.11.2013 and thereafter, he was confirmed to the Ph.D., course on 21.11.2013. The learned counsel would further submit that the period for completion for the course is 6 years, whereas the petitioner has sought for an extension on 01.11.2016 and based upon his request, he was granted 6 months grace period beyond 7.5 years and ultimately, the petitioner submitted synopsis with a paper publication in Taga Journal on 23.03.2018. Since the 3rd Respondent-University found a plagiarism, the University issued a mail to the petitioner on 24.08.2018 to attend the synopsis clarification meeting. Based upon the above mail, when the petitioner appeared before them has admitted about the plagiarism and accepted to withdraw the paper.
5. In the meanwhile, he has sent a mail on 02.02.2019 for extension of one more month. The 3rd Respondent having extended one more month and categorically informed to him that if the Thesis has not been submitted on or before 30.06.2019, then his registration would be cancelled. But inspite of such specific instruction, the petitioner has not submitted his Thesis. Therefore, they would submit that the impugned rejection order is well merited and prayed to dismiss the writ petition. 4/8
6. The learned counsel appearing for the respondents 2 and 3 would further submit that after the extension of time, the petitioner submitted his Thesis in a Journal, whereas no such Journal was in existence and the petitioner has given a fictitious journal name. Therefore, only because of his misleading acts and the long delay, the registration for Ph.D., course was cancelled. Hence, the learned counsel would submit that there is no ground to interfere with the impugned order.
7. I have given my anxious consideration to the submissions made on either side.
8. The very submissions of the learned counsel for the respondents 2 and 3 would explicitly demonstrate the height of violation committed by the petitioner. While looking at the submission of the petitioner, the petitioner not only submitted his plagiarised Thesis and when he was given further opportunity to submit Thesis, though he has submitted thesis, the Journal in which the same was published is a fictitious one. Therefore, the conduct of the petitioner is not appreciable so as to interfere with the impugned order dated 26.10.2023 and apart from that, when a period is 6 years and even after 5/8
considerable extension of time, when the petitioner could not complete his Ph.D., degree, the question of further extension of time would run counter to the concept of conferring Ph.D., course upon a individual. Therefore, this Court absolutely does not find any perversity in the impugned order passed by the 3rd respondent dated 26.10.2023.
9. In the result, the Writ Petition is dismissed. No costs. Consequently, the connected writ miscellaneous petitions are closed. 21.08.2025 Index : Yes/No Speaking order /Non Speaking Order dm 6/8
To 1.The Principal Secretary Government of Tamil Nadu Department of Higher Education Fort. St. George, Chennai 600009 2.The Regional Director - Research Anna University of Technology Regional Office, Tirunelveli 627007 3.The Director - Center for Research Anna University Sardar Patel Road, Chennai 600025 7/8
C.KUMARAPPAN, J.
dm 21.08.2025 8/8