IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH

1. CWP-5467-2020(O&M)

Akin Saroya & others ... Petitioners Vs State of Punjab & Others ... Respondents

2.

CWP-844-2020 (O&M)

Ginni Bansal & others ... Petitioners Vs State of Punjab & others ... Respondents

3.

CWP-6920-2021 (O&M)

Balkar Singh & others ... Petitioners Vs State of Punjab & others ... Respondents

4.

CWP-18680-2023 (O&M)

Akalpramjot Singh & others ... Petitioners Vs State of Punjab & others ... Respondents Reserved on: 15.09.2025 Pronounced on: 12.12.2025 Judgment uploaded on: 13.12.2025 Whether only the operative part of the judgment is pronounced or whether the full judgment is pronounced :

Full Judgment CORAM: HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE ASHWANI KUMAR MISHRA HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ROHIT KAPOOR Present: Mr. Sardavinder Goyal, Advocate and Mr. Sarwinder Goyal, Advocate for the petitioner(s) in CWP-5467-2020 & CWP-844-2020.

Mr. Suneet Singh Deol, Advocate for the petitioner(s) in CWP-18680-2023.

Mr. Vaibhav Narang, Advocate and Mr. Devant Khanna, Advocate for the petitioner(s) in CWP-6920-2021.

Mr. Maninder Singh, Addl. A.G., Punjab.

Mr. Gursher Singh Bhandal, Advocate for respondent No.2-University.

Mr. Arvind Seth, Sr. Panel Counsel for the respondent(s)-Veterinary Council of India in CWP-5467-2020 & CWP-844-2020.

Mr. Himanshu Malik, Advocate for respondent No.3-

College.

* * * *

ROHIT KAPOOR , J .

The above-mentioned petitions involve common issues and are therefore being decided together, with the consent of the parties.

I. Challenge Raised:

1. The petitioners are seeking quashing of the action of respondent No. 3-College, whereby tuition fee has been charged for the ‘internship period’, which according to the petitioners is illegal as no study or examination is conducted during such period and to the contrary, they are to perform duties as provisionally registered veterinary doctors as per the regulations of the Veterinary Council of India (‘VCI’). Further prayer is made to command the respondent No.3-College to pay internship allowance to the petitioners at par with the allowance being paid by other Colleges/Universities, regulated by the VCI.

II. Factual Matrix:

2. The relevant facts are being noticed from CWP-844-2020 for the purpose of brevity and ease of reference.

2.1. Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana – respondent No. 2, was established by the Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University Act 2005 (in short ‘GADVASU Act’) and is a public funded University. Various programmes are offered by Respondent No. 2 in its university and constituent colleges. The programmes/degrees pertaining to veterinary education are recognized by the VCI, subject to the adherence of regulations framed by it, from time to time. Respondent No.3-College is a private unaided institution, affiliated with the said University, which offers a Bachelor’s degree in Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry (for short ‘B.V.Sc. & A.H.’). The College is admitted to the privileges of the University and is thus bound to follow the statutes, notification, circulars, memorandum and instructions issued by the respondent-

University.

2.2. The VCI notified the Minimum Standards of Veterinary Education Degree Course (B.V.Sc. & A.H.) Regulations, 2008 (for short ‘2008 Regulations’) in exercise of its powers conferred by sub-section (1) of Section 66 read with sub-Section (1) of Section 22 of the Indian Veterinary Council Act, 1984.

2.3. Respondent No. 2-University issued a common prospectus for the year 2015-16, for the courses offered by it and by respondent no. 3, which included the B.V.Sc. & A.H. programme. In pursuance thereto the petitioners applied and secured admission in respondent No.3-College under the State, Management and Special Management quotas, after following the prescribed procedure. Perusal of the prospectus for 2015– 16 (Annexure P-1) would show that the duration of B.V.Sc. & A.H. programme was of five years and it was specified that at the end of the course work (9 seme