Students not carrying original docs can be denied admission by University: Delhi HC

Students who fail to produce required documents at the time of counselling or admission, despite securing a rank in the entrance exam, can be refused admission, stated the Delhi High Court. Students cannot fault the university for denying admission, the court ruled.

The court also ruled that it's mandatory for candidates to report with the original documents at the specified date and time for counselling, failing which, the varsity can forfeit their claim for admission.

Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva said, "Since the petitioner failed to appear for counselling in terms of the notification with the original documents, the action of the respondent university in denying admission to the petitioner and not entertaining the degree produced at a subsequent date cannot be faulted."

The HC's stated this while dismissing a plea filed by student Bhim Shankar Thakur.

Thakur had urged to the apex body that the University of Delhi (DU) be directed to accept his degree certificate and grant him admission in Bachelor of Laws (LLB) course, 2016-2017 session. The petitioner had appeared for LLB entrance test early this year and secured a rank of 767 in the OBC category. He was called counselling on 22 August.

However, Thakur, who graduated in 2012, had failed to collect degree from the university and could not submit the original graduation degree as stated in requirements.

Thereafter, Thakur collected the his degree from the University at Meerut on 8 September, 2016, and once again approached DU to submit the degree after the counselling was over. At this point, the varsity refused to accept it.

The lawyer contended that Thakur was not in a position to produce any proof, since the degree had not been issued by the University till the date of counselling, further requesting for admission according to rank.

The court, however, rejected the contention and in its verdict, relied on its own judgment passed in a case with identical circumstances where it was held that "degree not collected cannot be equated with degree not issued."

With Agency Inputs