Pgp Educational And Welfare Society v. University Grants Commission
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED: 02-04-2026
CORAM
THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE M.DHANDAPANI PGP Educational & Welfare Society Rep. by its Secretary, No.59 Sterling Road, Nungambakkam Chennai 600034.
Educational Agency PGP College of Engineering & Technology NH-7, Namakkal - Karur Main Road, Paramathi Velur, Namakkal 637207.
...Petitioner
Vs
1. University Grants Commission Represented by its Secretary Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi-110002.
2. The Registrar, Anna University Sardar Patel Road, Chennai-600025.
...Respondents
PETITION under Article 226 of The Constitution of India praying for the issuance of a Writ of Mandamus directing the 2nd respondent University to notify the autonomous status granted to the petitioner college by the 1st respondent University Grants Commission vide order in No.F.2-10/2023 (AC-Policy) dated 23.2.2026 for a period of five years from 2026-2027 to 2030-2031 as per Clause 4.2 of University Grants Commission (Conferment of Autonomous Status upon Colleges and Measures for Maintenance of Standards in Autonomous Colleges) Regulations 2023 forthwith.
For Petitioner:
Mr.D.Prabhu Mukunth Arunkumar For Respondents:
Mr.B.Rabu Manohar, CGSC for R1 Mr.U.Baranidharan, Standing Counsel for R2
ORDER
This is a petition filed by the petitioner seeking a direction to the second respondent to notify autonomous status granted to the petitioner college by the first respondent vide order dated 23.2.2026 for a period of five years from 2026-27 to 2030-31 as per Clause 4.2 of the University
Grants Commission (Conferment of Autonomous Status upon Colleges and Measures for Maintenance of Standards in Autonomous Colleges) Regulations, 2023 (for short, the Regulations) forthwith.
2. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner, the learned Central Government Standing Counsel accepting notice for the first respondent and the learned Standing Counsel accepting notice for the second respondent.
3. The case of the petitioner is as follows:
(i) Pursuant to the approval granted by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) dated 29.6.1999 and the affiliation granted by the Periyar University dated 05.4.1999, the petitioner college was started. It is now affiliated to the second respondent. It has been functioning for more than 25 years continuously with the approval of the AICTE and the affiliation from the second respondent from time to time. It has also been accredited by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council vide certificate of accreditation dated 23.5.2024. It has been
included in the list of colleges by the first respondent under Section 2(f) of the University Grants Commission Act under the non-government college teaching upto Master's degree vide order dated 10.10.2025. (ii) Having the requisite infrastructural and instructional facilities as per Regulation 6 of the Regulations, the petitioner college submitted an application to the first respondent for conferment of autonomous status from the academic year 2026-27. The first respondent conferred autonomous status to the petitioner college vide order dated 23.2.2026 for a period of five years from 2026-27 to 2030-31 as per Clause 7.4 of the Regulations with a direction to the second respondent to issue necessary notification within 30 days regarding the grant of autonomous status to the petitioner college based on the Regulations. A copy of the order conferring autonomous status to the petitioner college was also communicated to the second respondent.
(iii) On receipt of the copy of the order dated 23.2.2026, the petitioner college sent a representation dated 25.2.2026 to the second respondent to notify the conferment of autonomous status as per the orders of the first respondent. However, the second respondent has not yet
issued the relevant notification. Though law on this issue has already been settled, nothing was forthcoming. Hence the writ petition.
4. This Court has carefully considered the submissions of the learned counsel on either side and perused the materials available on record.
5. As rightly contended by the learned counsel for the petitioner, the law on this issue is well settled.
6. This Court, by order dated 28.10.2025 in W.P.No.40800 of 2025 held as follows:
"7. Insofar as the conferment of autonomous status is concerned, is is a power that has been conferred to UGC and this position of law has been confirmed by the Apex Court. Apart from that, this Court in a recent order in W.P.Nos.35, 38 and 39 of 2025 dated 05.02.2025 reiterated the said position. It was further confirmed in appeal in W.A.No.2514 of 2025 etc., batch dated 02.09.2025. It is brought to the notice of this Court that the order dated 02.09.2025 of
Hon'ble Division Bench has been further confirmed by Hon'ble Apex Court by dismissing SLP that was filed by the second respondent on 15.10.2025. In the light of the above, the second respondent University have to necessarily notify the autonomous status of the petitioner College which has been pending for more than a year. Hence, the second respondent is directed to act upon the application submitted by the petitioner on 09.09.2024 and notify the petitioner College conferring autonomous status as per orders of the first respondent. This process shall be completed by the second respondent within a period of four weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order."
7. In the light of the said order dated 28.10.2025, this writ petition is disposed of with a direction to the second respondent University to act upon the representation sent by the petitioner on 25.2.2026 and notify the petitioner College conferring autonomous status as per orders of the first respondent. This process shall be completed by the second respondent within a period of four weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. No costs.
02-04-2026
Index: Yes/No Speaking/Non-speaking order To
1. University Grants Commission Represented by its Secretary Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi-110002.
2. The Registrar, Anna University Sardar Patel Road, Chennai 600025.
RLI
M.DHANDAPANI, J.
RLI 02-04-2026