Madras High CourtWP/50049/2025disposed of

N.Thiripurasundari v. Directorate Of Higher And Technical Education

2026-01-22Honourable Mr.Justice D.Bharatha Chakravarthy8 pages

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

DATED: 22-01-2026

CORAM

THE HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE D.BHARATHA CHAKRAVARTHY N.Thiripurasundari ..Petitioner Vs.

1. Directorate of Higher and Technical Education, Centralised Admission Committee (CENTAC) - Government of Puducherry, Kamarajar Manimandapam, near Sivaji Statue, Karuvadikuppam, Puducherry - 605 008.

2. Dr.Ambedkar Government Law College, (AGLC) Mathur Road, Kalapet, Pondicherry- 605 014.

3. SMVEC - Centre of Legal Education, Mannadipet Commune, Madagadipet, Pondicherry- 605 107.

4. The Pondicherry University, Represented by its Registrar, Kalapet, Pondicherry - 605 014.

(R4 - Suo Motu impleaded vide Order dated 07.01.2026 made in W.P.No.50049 of 2025)

5. The Bar Council of India, Rep. by its Chairman, New Delhi.

(R5- Suo Motu impleaded vide Order dated 09.01.2026 made in W.P.No.50049 of 2025) ..Respondents Prayer: Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India for the issuance of Writ of Mandamus, directing the first respondent to act on the __________Page 1 of 8

representation letter dated 03.12.2025 and admit the petitioner into the one (1) Vacant seat in BA.LL.B (Law- general program) under the second respondent college within a time frame set by this Court. For Petitioner:

Ms.Meenakshi AN For Respondents:

Mr.Kumaran, Additional Government Pleader (Pondy) for R1 to R2 Mr.Balavijayan for R3 Mr.M.Ravi for R4 Mr.S.R.Raghunathan Standing Counsel for R5

ORDER

The writ petition is filed for a mandamus directing the first respondent to act on the representation of the petitioner dated 03.12.2025 and to admit the petitioner to one vacant seat in the B.A. LL.B. (Law - General Programme) under the second respondent college within the time frame as directed by this Court.

2. Upon hearing the learned counsel for the petitioner and perusing the material records of the case, the grievance of the petitioner is that she applied for admission to the law course through CENTAC for the academic year 20252026. Though the petitioner is fully eligible and qualified and though there is one vacancy in the second respondent / Dr.Ambedkar Government Law College __________Page 2 of 8

and three vacancies in the third respondent SMVEC Law College, which come within the CENTAC allotment, due to sheer administrative inefficiency, candidates were not called for any mop-up counselling and the seats were not allotted. The petitioner was knocking at their doors all along. After repeated representations, the petitioner has come before this Court.

3. When the matter came up for hearing, on behalf of the Government of Puducherry as well as the Government Law College, it was admitted that there is one seat vacant. It was stated that it may not be correct that the petitioner is the next meritorious candidate. However, the third respondent college is also willing to admit the petitioner. The further submission of the learned Additional Government Pleader for the first and second respondents is that now the first semester itself is over, the examinations have also been conducted and the last date for admitting students and reporting the matter in the Bar Council of India portal is also over and therefore, as on date, admission cannot be granted to the petitioner.

4. The learned counsel for the Bar Council of India submitted that the last date for uploading admissions in the portal is over. However, there are requests from several quarters and there is a likelihood that the portal may be opened for a short while. All the respondents also submitted that the attendance criteria is __________Page 3 of 8

mandatory, without which the petitioner cannot undertake the first-semester examinations.

5. I have considered the rival submissions made on either side and perused the material records of the case.

6. It can be seen that there is a vacancy of one seat in the second respondent Dr.Ambedkar Government Law College and three seats in the third respondent private college. Both the colleges are willing to admit the petitioner, provided the other statutory requirements are satisfied. The first requirement is that the admission process should be completed and the admission particulars should be uploaded in the Bar Council of India portal within the time prescribed, which is already over. In any event, if the Bar Council of India extends the time, then the petitioner's details can be entered in the portal and the petitioner can be granted admission. If the Bar Council of India does not extend the time and closes the portal declaring that admissions are over throughout the country, then for the sake of the petitioner alone nothing further can be considered for this year.

7. If the Bar Council of India opens the portal and the petitioner is admitted, as far as attendance is concerned, this is an extraordinary situation __________Page 4 of 8

where, only on account of the action of the respondents, the petitioner was prevented from attending classes. At the same time, the academic requirements of attending classes and submitting internal assessments have also be completed by the student before taking the examination. If the petitioner is granted admission, she shall undergo the course in the second semester. As far as the first semester is concerned, she can take the examinations as arrears. In the meantime, the concerned college, whether the second respondent or the third respondent, as the case may be, shall endeavour to provide special classes and assignments to the petitioner with reference to the first-semester subjects and the petitioner shall complete all internal assessment requirements. Thereafter, in the ensuing examinations or subsequently, the petitioner can write the firstsemester subjects as arrears.

8. In view thereof, this writ petition is disposed of on the following terms: (i) The first respondent, CENTAC, shall take up the case of the petitioner and allot her for admission either in the second respondent college or in the third respondent college, as the case may be.

(ii) The said exercise shall be completed within a period of one week from the date of receipt of the web copy of this order, without waiting for the certified copy. __________Page 5 of 8

(iii) Upon allotment, the petitioner shall report before the appropriate college and if the Bar Council of India reopens the admission portal, the particulars of the petitioner shall be uploaded and she shall be admitted into the course and continue the same.

(iv) Once the petitioner continues the course, the college concerned shall provide additional special classes apart from regular college hours, as may be convenient to the lecturers and make her to complete all assignments in respect of the first-semester subjects and internal assessments, so as to make her eligible to write the examinations. Thereafter, she can apply for the arrear examinations and write the same. If the Bar Council of India adheres to its deadline and does not reopen the portal, then the petition will stand dismissed, leaving it open to the petitioner to apply afresh in the next academic year.

(v) In order to avoid such situations in future, the first respondent/CENTAC shall ensure that not only medical seats, which are valuable national resources, but even the law seats are filled by conducting mop-up counselling and calling eligible students even at the last minute, so that all seats are duly filled.

(vi) No costs.

22-01-2026 NSL __________Page 6 of 8

2. Dr.Ambedkar Government Law College, (AGLC) Mathur Road, Kalapet, Pondicherry- 605 014.

3. SMVEC - Centre of Legal Education, Mannadipet Commune, Madagadipet, Pondicherry- 605 107.

4. The Registrar, The Pondicherry University, Kalapet, Pondicherry - 605 014.

5. The Chairman The Bar Council of India, New Delhi.

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D.BHARATHA CHAKRAVARTHY, J.

NSL 22-01-2026 __________Page 8 of 8