Petitioner seeks issuance of writ of certiorarified mandamus, calling for the order of 1st respondent F. No. 732-52-046/ (NDEG)/ ET/97 dated 17-6-1998 in so far as it grants approval for starting Saranathan College of Engineering at Dindigul Road, Tiruchirappalli-1, i.e. in the premises of the National College, Trichy-1 and to quash the same, and direct the respondents not to grant approval for carving out of the properties of the National College, Trichy-1 to start a self-financing private Engineering College, except by process of law, and pass such further or other orders as this Court may deem fit and proper.

2. The writ petition is filed by an Association of University Teachers of the National College Unit represented by its President.

3. National College, Tiruchirappalli is a private aided college, and the same is governed by the Tamil Nadu Private Colleges (Regulation) Act, 1976. The National College is governed by the National College Council which is the educational agency. The National College was started in the year 1886 in the form of National High School and was raised to the status of a secondary grade college and subsequently as a first grade college in 1924