Biplab Kumar Sharma, J.

1. The challenge in the writ petition filed by six petitioners is the Annexure-K notification dated 19.09.2013 of the Cotton College State University (respondent No. 3), by which on the basis of the purported clarifications given by the University Grants Commission (UGC) vide public notice dated 27.06.2013, has cancelled the admission of the petitioners to the MCA Degree Programme under the University. For a ready reference, the impugned notification is reproduced below:-

The University Grants Commission (UGC), vide its public notice no., F. 27-1/2012 (CPP-II) dated 27th June, 2013 has clarified that "a central or State Government University "can conduct courses through its own departments, its constituent colleges and/or through its affiliated Colleges" and also "a university established or incorporated by or under a State act shall operate only within the territorial jurisdiction allotted to it under its Act and in no case beyond the territory of the State of its location". Besides, the notice also states that "no University, whether central, state, private or deemed, can offer its programme through franchising arrangement with private coaching insti