BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED : 02.12.2025 CORAM:

THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE R.VIJAYAKUMAR Sri Muthumari Charitable & Educational Trust Represented by its Managing Trustee, No.72, College Road, Near V.K.N. Building, Karaikudi – 630 001, Educational Agency, Sree Raaja Raajan College of Engineering & Technology, Amaravathipudur (Post), Karaikudi – 630 301. ...Petitioner Vs

1. University Grants Commissioner, Represented by its Secretary Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi – 110 002.

2. The Registrar, Anna University, Sardar Patel Road, Chennai – 600 025. ... Respondents PRAYER: Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying this Court to issue a Writ of Mandamus, directing the second respondent University to notify the autonomous status granted to the petitioner college by the first respondent University Grants Commission vide order in No.F.2-10/2023 (AC-Policy) dated 19.08.2025 for a period of five years from 2025 – 2026 to 2029-2030, as per Clause 4.2 of University Grants Commission (Conferment of Autonomous Status upon Colleges and Measures for maintenance of standards in autonomous colleges) Regulation

2023 forthwith.

(Prayer is amended vide Court order dated 28.11.2025 in W.M.P(MD) No.26439 of 2025 in W.P(MD) No.

32484 of 2025)

For Petitioner : Mr.D.Prabhu Mukunth Arun Kumar For R1 : Mr.P.Karthick For R2 : M/s.H.Jasimma Yasmin for M/s.Ajmal Associates

O R D E R

The present Writ Petition has been filed by an Educational Institution seeking for a Mandamus as against the second respondent University to notify the autonomous status granted to the petitioner college by the first respondent University Grants Commission vide order in No.F.2-10/2023 (AC-

Policy) dated 19.08.2025.

2. According to the learned counsel appearing for the writ petitioner, the petitioner's College has been conferred with autonomous status by the first respondent UGC proceedings dated 19.08.2025.

3. The relevant paragraph from the University Grants Commission order dated 19.08.2025 are extracted as follows: “The Commission in its meeting held on

23.07.2025 has approved the recommendation of the Standing Committee on Autonomous Colleges to confer the autonomous status upon Sri Raaja Raajan College of Engineering and Technology, Amaravathi Village, Amaravathipudur P.O., Karaikudi Tk., Sivaganga District – 630301, Tamil Nadu, affiliated to Anna University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, for a period of 05 years from the academic year 2025-2026 to 2029-2030, as per clause 7.4 of the UGC (Conferment of Autonomous Status upon Colleges and Measures for Maintenance of Standards in Autonomous Colleges) Regulations, 2023.

The University is, therefore, requested to issue the necessary notification within 30 days regarding the grant of autonomous status to the College as per the above-mentioned UGC Regulations. The autonomous college is required to abide by all the provisions of the UGC Regulations for Autonomous Colleges, 2023. The Regulations are available on www.ugc.gov.in. Non-compliance with the requirements and conditions prescribed in the said Regulations shall attract action as per Clause -13 of the UGC Regulations, 2023. The college shall apply to the University Grants Commission for an extension of autonomous status at least three months before the completion of the period of autonomy”.

4. According to the learned counsel appearing for the writ petitioner, though University Grants Commission had directed the second respondent University to notify the said autonomous status, so far the same has not been notified. He also relied upon the Hon'ble Division Bench judgment of our High Court, wherein it has been held that once autonomous status is conferred by the UGC, it is imperative on the part of the University to notify the same.

5. In view of the above said legal position, the second respondent University is directed to notify the autonomous status of the petitioner's College on or before 05.01.2026 in the light of Clause 4.2 of Unive