JUDGMENT :

PRATEEK JALAN, J.

The proceedings in the matter have been conducted through video conferencing.

1. These writ petitions under Article 226 of the Constitution have been filed by sister institutions, assailing identical show cause notices dated 08.06.2021 and orders dated 23.07.2021 passed by the respondent-All India Council for Technical Education [“AICTE”] declining the petitioners’ request for Extension of Approval [“EOA”] for the year 2021-22 for conducting their engineering and polytechnic courses.

2. The petitioners established their courses, with AICTE approval, in 2009-10 [in W.P. (C) 7426/2021] and 2012-13 [in W.P. (C) 7551/2021]. Both the institutions were granted EOAs annually, including for the year 2020-21.

3. For the 2021-22 session, they submitted their applications in March, 2021. Although the applications remained pending, the AICTE, in the meanwhile, received a reference from the Central Vigilance Commission [“CVC”] regarding a complaint of one Mr. Sunil Kumar. The AICTE thereafter issued a show cause notice dated 08.06.2021 to the petitioners. The AICTE also apparently referred the case to its Standing Appellate Committee [“SAC”] which purported to give the p