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2025 Supreme(Online)(Kar) 39715

THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA
S.R. Krishna Kumar, J
Vijaya A R – Appellant
Versus
Karnataka State Law University – Respondent
WP No. 30715 of 2025

Advocates:
For the Appellants/Petitioners: Shivananda D.S.
For the Respondents: Girish Kumar

An applicant holding a recognized three-year undergraduate degree is eligible for a three-year law course, and any prior vocational or technical schooling constitutes an equivalent qualification to secondary education for the purpose of meeting admission criteria, precluding rejection by the university.

Headnote:(A) Constitution of India - Articles 226 and 227 - Rules of Legal Education - Eligibility for admission to three-year Law degree course - Equivalence of vocational or technical courses to Higher Secondary education - Petitioner seeking admission to three-year Law degree program was denied eligibility by the University on the ground that the vocational technical course pursued by the petitioner was not equivalent to the prescribed secondary education qualification despite the petitioner holding a recognized university graduation degree.

(B) Admission criteria - Interpretation of the ‘first degree’ requirement - The regulatory framework for Law admissions requires candidates to have completed a three-year graduation course from a recognized University; where an applicant holds such a degree, previous technical or vocational certification acquired before graduation must be accepted as equivalent to standard secondary schooling requirements, as neither the statutory rules nor the university regulations expressly exclude such vocational training from being considered equivalent for meeting eligibility criteria. (Paras 4, 8)

Facts of the case:
The petitioner, having completed a vocational technical course and subsequently an undergraduate degree from an established University, was denied admission to a three-year Law degree course. The University rejected the petitioner's application via an impugned communication, contending that the technical certification lacked the necessary equivalence to a standard higher secondary qualification.

Findings of Court:
The Court observed that the issue was squarely covered by a series of earlier precedents holding that vocational technical training is effectively equivalent to secondary school qualifications. The Court found that once an applicant possesses a valid degree from a recognized University, the insistence on a formal 10+2 secondary certificate is invalid when the candidate has already successfully completed a recognized graduation program.

Issues: Whether vocational technical certification can be deemed equivalent to a higher secondary qualification for the purpose of law school admission, and whether the respondent university was justified in denying an eligibility certificate to a candidate who had obtained a recognized university degree despite having a vocational background.

Ratio Decidendi: Vocational or technical courses completed prior to obtaining an undergraduate degree must be treated as equivalent to formal higher secondary qualifications. Given that the Bar Council of India rules and university regulations for a three-year Law program require a recognized undergraduate degree, the rejection of a graduate candidate on the basis of vocational schooling is erroneous and unsustainable in law.

Result: Petition allowed. Impugned communication is quashed. Respondent University is directed to issue an eligibility certificate within fifteen days.

Table of Content
1. petitioner seeks judicial intervention for law course admission eligibility. (Para 1 , 2)
2. precedent dictates iti/joc qualifies as equivalent to puc/12th standard for llb. (Para 3 , 4)
3. mandatory issuance of eligibility certificate by university for qualified applicants. (Para 5 , 6 , 7)

THIS PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO I. DIRECTING THE RESPONDENTS TO PERMIT THE PETITIONER TO TAKE ADMISSION TO THE 1ST YEAR OF 3 YEARS LLB COURSE FOR THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2025-26 AND APPROVE THE ADMISSION BY ISSUE OF ANY OTHER WRIT, ORDER, DIRECTION AS THE CASE MAY BE.; I. QUASH THE IMPUGNED COMMUNICATION DATED NIL NO. NII (DOWNLOADED FROM WEBSITE) ISSUED BY THE R1 AND 2 AS PER ANNX-T.

THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER:

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.R.KRISHNA KUMAR

ORAL ORDER

In this petition, petitioner seeks for the following reliefs:

(i) Issue writ of mandamus directing the respondents to permit the petitioner to take admission to the 1st year of 3 years LLB Course for the academic year 2025-26 and approve the admission by issue of any other writ, order, direction as the case may be.

(ii) Issue writ of certiorari to quash the impugned communication dtd. Nil (downloaded from website) issued by the Respondents 1 & 2 as per Annexure-T.

(iii) Pass such other order/s as this Hon’ble Court deemed fit under the circumstances of the case; and

(iv) ALLOW the writ petition in the interest of justice and equity.

2. Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and learned counsel for respondent No.1/Karnataka State Law University and perused the material on record.

3. A perusal of the material on record will indicate that the issue in controversy involved in the present petition squarely and directly covered by the judgments of this Court in the cases of Sri.Naveenkumar K.V., Vs. The Karnataka State Law University and Ors. - W.P.No.26757/2024 Dated 01.10.2024 and Rakesh Shetty Vs. The State of Karnataka and Ors. - W.P.No.31737/2024 Dated 09.12.2024 which has been followed by this Court in the case of Prakasha L v/s Karnataka State Law University and others in W.P.No.10450/2025 disposed of on 16.04.2025, which reads as under:

“ In this petition, petitioner seeks the following reliefs:

“i) Quash the impugned endorsement certificate in Appln. Ref.No.LW002S240001859 dated 08.10.2024 issued by 1st respondent vide Annexure-M by issue of writ in the nature of certiorari or any other writ, order, direction as the case may be.

ii) Issue writ of mandamus directing the respondents to permit the petitioner to take admission to the 1st Semester of 3 years LLB Course to the 3rd respondent for the academic year 2025-26 by issue of any other writ, order, direction as the case may be.

iii) Pass such other order/s as this Hon’ble Court deemed fit under the circumstances of the case and;

iv) Allow the writ petition in the interest of justice and equity.”

2. Heard the learned Counsel for the petitioner and learned counsel for respondent Nos.1 and 2 and perused the material on record.

3. A perusal of the material on record would indicate that issue in controversy involved in the present petition is directly and squarely covered by the judgments of this Court in the cases of Sri.Naveenkumar K.V., Vs. The Karnataka State Law University and Ors – W.P.No.26757/2024 dated 01.10.2024 and Rakesh Shetty Vs. The State of Karnataka and Ors. -W.P.No.31737/2024 dated 09.12.2024.

4. In Sri.Naveenkumar K.V.’s case, (supra), this Court has held as under:

In this petition, petitioner seeks the following relief:

i) Issue a Writ in the nature of certiorari to quash the impugned endorsement bearing Application ref No.LW002S240001257 dated 21.09.2024 issued by the 1st respondent vide Annexure-R and consequently, direct the respondent No.1 to issue eligibility certificate in favour of petitioner by considering his qualification for admission to Three Year Law Degree Cours

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2025 Supreme(Online)(Kar) 39715

THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKAS.R. Krishna Kumar, JVijaya A R – AppellantVersusKarnataka State Law University – RespondentWP No. 30715 of 2025

THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA
S.R. Krishna Kumar, J
Vijaya A R – Appellant
Versus
Karnataka State Law University – Respondent
WP No. 30715 of 2025