Monika.K v. Government College Of Technology
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED: 10-03-2026
CORAM
THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE M.DHANDAPANI and WMP.No.9528 of 2026 Monika.K D/o V. Kannan, No 6, 7 Sayapettai Small street, Semmandalam, Cuddalore 607 001 ..Petitioner(s) Vs
1. Government College of Technology Rep by its Principal and Chairman, Coimbatore 641 013 (An autonomous institution affiliated to Anna University, Chennai)
2. The Controller of Examinations, Anna University, Chennai.
3. The District Collector, Coimbatore, Coimbatore District.
..Respondent(s) Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying for issuance of a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus, calling for the records of the impugned order passed in LR No COE / MALPRACT / NOV-DEC 2025 / 1 dated 12.01.2026 and quash the same and consequently directing the respondent no 1 and 2 to permit the petitioner to participate and submit a report inthe project work before the 1st respondent college.
For Petitioner(s):
Mr.T.I.Ramanatham For Respondent(s):
Mrs.V.Yamunadevi, SGP for R1 & R3 Mr.U.Baranidharan for R2
ORDER
The impugned order passed in LR No COE / MALPRACT / NOV-DEC 2025 / 1 dated 12.01.2026, is put under challenge in the present Writ Petition. Consequently, the petitioner has sought for a direction to the respondents 1 and 2 to permit her to participate and submit a report in the project work before the first respondent college.
2. Heard the learned counsels appearing on either side.
3. It is the case of the petitioner that she joined B.Tech (IBT) in the first respondent College in the year 2022 and had completed seven semesters and during the seventh semester, the College took her hall ticket on the ground of some irregularities committed by her during the examination of Bio Process Economics and Plant Design on 26.11.2025, however, she was permitted to complete further exams. While so, the petitioner was debarred from continuing her studies for one year by the impugned order of the second respondent dated 12.01.2026 without any proper enquiry for the aforesaid irregularities committed by her during the said semester examination, for which she made a representation to the third respondent on 22.01.2026, who in turn forwarded the
same to the Director of Technical Education, Guindy, Chennai, however, there was no response as on date. Aggrieved by the same, the present Writ Petition has been filed.
4. The learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that though the petitioner has written some statements in her hall ticket and taken the same during the Bio Process Economics and Plant Design exam, the same are irrelevant to the concerned subject. He contended that the punishment imposed by the second respondent highlighting her previous conduct in the sixth semester examination where no punishment was imposed is to be noted and keeping the same in mind, the present impugned order has been passed by the second respondent debarring the petitioner for one year, which is not sustainable and the same is liable to be quashed and accordingly, prayed for appropriate orders.
5. Per contra, the learned Special Government Pleader for the respondents submitted that the petitioner has already warned for her malpractice during the sixth semester examination, however, as a punishment, her request for reevaluation was rejected and her results for sixth semester was published prior to re-evaluation and this is the second time, wherein the Hall Invigilator has found the petitioner's hall ticket with some written materials on the backside of the hall ticket during Bio Process Economics and Plant Design exam on
26.11.2025, which was accepted by the petitioner and had tendered her apology in writing to the effect that the same will not be done in future. She further contended that in view of the petitioner's own admission and malpractice found for the second time, the punishment was imposed by the second respondent on 12.01.2026 in terms of Clause 1(8) of the Anna University Examination Code and Rule 23 of the Punishment Rules for Malpractice in Examinations [Anna University Guidelines for Malpractice]. Thus, she prayed for dismissal of the Writ Petition.
6. I have considered the rival submissions made by the respective learned counsels and also perused the materials placed on record.
7. This Court, on the earlier occasion had directed the respondents to produce the hall ticket in order to verify as to whether anything has been written by the petitioner on the backside of the hall ticket and in compliance of the said the direction, the learned Special Government Pleader has produced the same before this Court today. Perusal of the hall ticket reveals that the petitioner has written so many things in code words on the back side of the hall ticket. It is also brought to the notice of this Court that the order impugned herein was passed by the second respondent for the malpractice committed by the petitioner for the second time as she was warned for the same action during the sixth semester examination and her request for re-evaluation was rejected as a
punishment and the present impugned order was passed as per the Clause 1(8) of the Anna University Examination Code and Rule 23 of the Punishment Rules for Malpractice in Examinations. The relevant provisions of Rule 23 of the Punishment Rules for Malpractice in Examinations read as under: S.No.
Nature of Malpractice Maximum Punishment Involved in any one or more of the malpractices of Serial No.8 to 21 for the second or subsequent times.
Invalidating the examinations of all the theory and practical subjects of the current semester and all the arrear subjects registered by the candidate.
Additional Punishment:
i)if the candidate has not completed the programme, he/she is debarred from continuing his/her studies for one year i.e., for two subsequent semesters.
However, the student is permitted to appear for the examination in all the arrears subjects during the debarred period.
ii)if the candidate has completed the programme, he/she is prevented from writing the examinations of the arrears-subjects for two subsequent semesters.
Though the petitioner has committed malpractice, this Court, taking into account the future of the petitioner, is inclined to take a lenient view.
Accordingly, the punishment imposed by the second respondent through the impugned order dated 12.01.2026 is modified to the extent that the additional punishment shall stand deleted, however the maximum punishment of invalidating the examinations of all the theory and practical subjects of the current semester and all the arrear subjects registered by the candidate, is hereby confirmed.
8. The Writ Petition stands disposed of in the above terms. Consequently, connected Miscellaneous Petition is closed. There shall be no order as to costs. 10-03-2026 Index: Yes/No Speaking/Non-speaking order DP
To
1. Government College of Technology Rep by its Principal and Chairman, Coimbatore 641 013 (An autonomous institution affiliated to Anna University, Chennai)
2. The Controller of examinations, Anna university, Chennai.
3. The District Collector, Coimbatore, Coimbatore District.
M.DHANDAPANI, J.
DP 10-03-2026