JUDGMENT

1. With the directions of the Hon'ble the Chief Justice, this Reference is placed before this Full Bench.

2. The Division Bench of this Court, by its judgment and order dtd. 20/8/2021, in the present Writ Petition, has made the following reference to the Larger Bench :-

(a) Whether, the preparatory course under clause 4.1(1) of the Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University, Nashik could be treated as being equivalent of HSC ?

(b) Whether, acquiring the B.com. Degree under distant learning programme of the Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University, Nashik, on the basis of the preparatory programme of six months, could tantamount to a candidate having acquired 10+2+3 sequential educational qualification so as to be eligible for acquiring admission to the three years LL.B. degree course ?

3. The facts giving rise to this Reference are as follows :-

The petitioner completed Secondary School Certificate Course (S.S.C.) i.e. 10th Standard in the year 1992 from the State Board. He thereafter passed 11th Standard examination (First Year of Junior College - F.Y.J.C.) in 1993. Though he took admission to 12th Standard, in faculty of Arts, has, however, been unsuccessful to