The court affirmed that compliance with academic requirements after a cut-off date should not preclude affiliation when deficiencies are rectified and previously recognized principles mandate adherence to timely resolutions.

ORDER :

D. BHARATHA CHAKRAVARTHY, J.

This writ petition is filed for issuance of a writ of certiorari, calling for the records relating to the order of the first respondent dated 31.07.2025 and 03.09.2025 and to quash the same.

2. By the order dated 31.07.2025, the first respondent, namely Anna University, after inspection, pointed out deficiencies in respect of various programmes started by the petitioner institution and held that since the critical deficiencies remained unrectified, the University had decided to suspend the said programmes for the academic year 2025–2026, based on the recommendations of the 122^nd Syndicate Committee Approval (SCA) as approved by the Convener Committee of the University. The deficiencies are tabulated in paragraph No.14 and the same are extracted hereunder for ready reference:-

“14. However, the following programme(s) has/have not met the minimum criteria prescribed by the University, based on the verification of availability of a qualified Principal, sufficient faculty strength, laboratory and library facilities and classroom adequacy.

3. Further, by the order dated 03.09.2025, the grant of affiliation was also rejected in respect of all the seven courses citing the very same deficiencies. With reference to the MBA course, even though all the deficiencies were rectified and the minimum criteria stood satisfied, affiliation was not granted for the academic year 2025–2026 on the ground that the cut- off date fixed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India expired on 14.08.2025.

4. Heard Mr. K.Selvaraj, the learned counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioner and perused the affidavit filed in support of the writ petition and the material records.

5. The learned counsel appearing for the petitioner would submit that, as far as the MBA programme is concerned, there is no deficiency. In view of the fact that no student was allotted under the Government quota, all the 60 seats were filled under the management quota and the students are undergoing the course. When all the academic and other infrastructural requirements are complied with by the petitioner institution, affiliation to the course for the academic year 2025–2026 cannot be declined merely on the ground of the last date for grant of affiliation for the current year expired on 14.08.2025. It is further submitted that this very issue has already been decided by this Court in W.P. No.33710 of 2025, which was filed by a similarly placed institution, wherein it was held that when the petitioner institution has fulfilled the minimum criteria, affiliation cannot be denied on the ground of the cut-off date. It is stated that the University, being aggrieved by the said order, approached the Hon’ble Division Bench in W.A.No.3640 of 2025, the same was dismissed, pursuant to which the University granted affiliation to the said institution. Therefore, the learned counsel would submit that, as far as the MBA course is concerned, affiliation should be granted and the admission of all 60 students should be regularised from the academic year 2025–2026 itself.

6. With reference to the ot