Kalaivanan v. The Registrar
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
Dated: 23.04.2025 Coram:
THE HONOURABLE MRS.JUSTICE N.MALA and WMP.No's.7718 and 7722 of 2025 1.Kalaivanan 2.Chellapandi ... Petitioners Vs.
1.The Registrar, Anna University, Chennai.
2.The Controller of Examination, Anna University, Chennai.
3.The Dean, University College of Engineering, Anna University, Ariyalur.
4.P.Sentamil Selvan, The then Dean, Now working in Bharathidhasan Institute of Technology, Anna University, Tiruchirappalli.
5.Nagarajan, 1 / 7
The then Exam cell coordinator, University College of Engineering, Anna University, Ariyalur.
6.G.Gokul Karthick, The then Chief Superintendent of Examination, University College of Engineering, Anna University, Ariyalur.
... Respondents Writ Petition is filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying to issue a Writ of Mandamus, directing the 1st and 2nd respondent to announce the exam going to held on 24/2/2025 is not amount to arrears to the Petitioners and direct the 1st to 3rd respondents to penalize the 4 to 6th respondents for their wrong committed by failure of doing lawful duty.
For Petitioners : Mr.T.Ganesan For Respondents :Mr.U.Baranidharan, Standing Counsel
ORDER
The writ petition is filed for issuance of a Writ of Mandamus, directing the 1st and 2nd respondent to declare that the exams to be held on 24.02.2025, would not amount to arrears for the petitioners and for a direction to the respondents 1 to 3, to penalize the 4th to 6th respondents for their failure to perform their duty properly.
2. The petitioners are the students of the 3rd respondent college, pursuing B.E. Mechanical Engineering, in Tamil Medium. Whileso, the petitioners appeared for the 2 / 7
second semester examination in the subject namely, Engineering Graphics (GE 325T). The 4th respondent issued hall ticket for the second semester, in which, the date and session of the said exam was not mentioned. The petitioners verified with the time table of the University and came to know that the examination on 19.07.2024 would be conducted in the forenoon session. The petitioners and other students therefore appeared for the examination on 19.07.2024, at 9.30 a.m. (forenoon session). To their dismay, they found that their examination numbers were not listed and no hall ticket was allotted to them. They therefore approached the 4th to 6th respondents, who were entrusted with the conduct of the exam for guidance.
The petitioners were informed that the examination would be conducted in the afternoon session and though the petitioners appeared in the afternoon session, they were not allowed to write the exam, stating that the exam was scheduled for the forenoon session. The petitioner's then realised that some mistake was committed by the respondents 4 to 6, in the conduct of exam. The petitioners therefore submitted a representation to the 3rd respondent on 03.09.2024, requesting him to take appropriate steps for special conduct of exam and further not to consider the subject as arrear. The petitioners repeatedly sent representations, requesting the authorities to conduct special exams and not to consider the previous exam as arrear, but the respondents did not consider the petitioner's request.
The petitioners therefore filed the above writ petition for the aforesaid relief.
3. At the time of hearing, the learned counsel for the 1st respondent, University submitted that there was a mixup in the scheduling of the examination on 19.07.2024, and due to the mixup, the students of Tamil Medium, presumed that their examination was scheduled for the afternoon session and hence they attended the examination in the afternoon session. However, as the examination for Tamil Medium students, was scheduled for the forenoon session, they were not permitted to take the exam in the afternoon session. The said mixup was brought to the notice of the Controller of Examinations and the same was placed before the Grievance Redressal Committee (GRC).
The GRC deliberated the issue and taking into consideration the students interest, recommended to consider the appearance of those students alone in the exams held during November/ December 2024, as the first appearance in the said course. The learned counsel submitted that except the 2nd petitioner, for all other students who appeared for the examination in November/December 2024, the same would be considered as first appearance and the end semester results would be published at the earliest.
4. The 2nd petitioner did not appear for the November/December- 2024 examinations and therefore, the 2nd petitioner cannot be extended the above benefit. 4 / 7
Recording the above submission of the learned counsel for the respondents, the writ petition is disposed of. However, it is made clear that the benefit extended to students who appeared in the examination held in November / December 2024, will not be extended to the 2nd petitioner, who admittedly did not appear in the said examination. It is expected that the 1st respondent will ensure that such lapses do not occur in future.
5. The learned counsel for the petitioner's submits that the petitioner's apprehend that adverse action may be taken against them for having approached this court for redressal of their grievance.
6. Considering that the respondent's themselves admitted the mix-up in the scheduling of the examination, a direction is issued to the 1st respondent, to ensure that no adverse action is taken against the petitioners, for having espoused their genuine grievance.
In view of the above, writ petition is disposed of. However, there shall be no order as to costs. Consequently, the connected miscellaneous petitions are closed. 23.04.2025 Index:Yes/No Speaking order:Yes/No dsn 5 / 7
To 1.The Registrar, Anna University, Chennai.
2.The Controller of Examination, Anna University, Chennai.
3.The Dean, University College of Engineering, Anna University, Ariyalur.
4.P.Sentamil Selvan, The then Dean, Now working in Bharathidhasan Institute of Technology, Anna University, Tiruchirappalli.
5.Nagarajan, The then Exam cell coordinator, University College of Engineering, Anna University, Ariyalur.
6.G.Gokul Karthick, The then Chief Superintendent of Examination, University College of Engineering, Anna University, Ariyalur.
6 / 7
N.MALA,J.
dsn 23.04.2025 7 / 7