IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Date of decision: 03.09.2025 Vishali ….Petitioner Versus Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot, and others ….Respondents CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE KULDEEP TIWARI Present: Mr. Himmat Singh Sidhu, Advocate, and Mr. Gurneet Singh Budhiraja, Advocate, for the petitioner.

Mr. Sahil, Advocate, for Mr. Nitin Kaushal, Advocate, for respondents No.1 and 2-University.

Mr. Sahil R. Bakshi, AAG, Punjab.

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KULDEEP TIWARI, J. (Oral)

1. The petitioner, who is a student of BDS 2^nd year, has approached this Court through the instant writ petition, under Articles 226/227 of the Constitution of India, for issuance of a Mandamus upon the respondents to allow her to sit/appear in the examination of Dental Materials, which was scheduled for 18.11.2024.

2. The gravamen of the matter in issue, as encapsulated in the instant writ petition, is that respondent No.3 is not allowing the petitioner to sit/appear in the examination of Dental Materials, on account of shortage of lectures of the said subject.

3. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that, though petitioner was issued an admit card for the said examinations, but she was informed verbally that she would not able to sit in the examination of Dental Materials, on the ground of insufficient attendance. He further submits that petitioner procured the attendance details as regards the subject in question, i.e. Dental Materials, w.e.f. January, 2024 to July, 2024, which clearly indicates that most of the students attended less than 75% classes, but they were allowed to sit in the examination. However, the authorities concerned did not allow the petitioner, besides one more student, to take the examination of Dental Materials.

4. Though, various grounds have been taken to explain the reasons for the shortage of attendance for the subject of Dental Materials, but the same are not required to be referred to, in view of the supervening events. In this regard, it is apposite to point out that, a Coordinate Bench, vide order dated 14.11.2024, permitted the petitioner to appear in the Dental Materials examination, which was scheduled for 18.11.2024, on provisional basis. The relevant part of the order reads as under:-

“Learned counsel for the petitioner has submitted that the petitioner is a student of 2nd Year of BDS at Government Dental College and Hospital, Patiala-respondent No.3. She was given admit card in the form of a Roll Number vide Annexure P-7, pertaining to the subjects, wherein she is to appear with regard to the date sheet (Annexure P-6).

Learned counsel for the petitioner has further submitted that perusal of the aforesaid Roll Number (Annexure P-7), which is admit card, would show that the same has been issued for the subject of Dental Materials also regarding which the examination is to take place on 18.11.2024. He also submits that the petitioner has been permitted to take the examination with regard to all the subjects except for the subject of Dental Materials, which is scheduled to be held on 18.11.2024. He also submits that even after the issuance of admit card pertaining to the aforesaid subjects, respondent No.3-College has informed the petitioner through a notice put in the class room that the petitioner is not entitled to take examination for the aforesaid subject, which is to be held on 18.11.2024 on the ground that she was having shortage of lectures in that subject. Learned counsel for the petitioner further submits that it is only 4/5 days before the examination that the aforesaid information has been given, regarding which she did not even have any occasion to seek the attendance sheet from the aforesaid College and rather there were other students, who were also having shortage of lectures but their lecturers have been condoned by the itself but the petitioner has been discriminated and even otherwise also once an admit card has been issued, the same could not have been cancelled for one paper since she has