IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Date of decision : 29.07.2025 Lakshita Malik and others …….Petitioners Versus Guru Ravi Dass Ayurved University and another ...….Respondents CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SHEEL NAGU, CHIEF JUSTICE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SANJIV BERRY Present: Mr. Akshay Bansal, Advocate, for the petitioners. Mr. R. Kartikeya, Advocate, for respondent No.1 – University.

Mr. Lalit Kumar Narang, Advocate, for respondent No.2 - College.

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SHEEL NAGU, CHIEF JUSTICE ( Oral )

1. The petitioners, who are fifteen (15) in number and were admitted to 4 ½ years BAMS (UG) course in Shiv Shakti Ayurvedic Medical College and Hospital (respondent No.2 herein) in academic sessions 2020-21 and 2021-22 (petitioners No.1 and 2 in academic session 2020-21 and petitioners No.3 to 15 in academic session 2022-23), are before this Court assailing 15 show cause notices (Annexure P-7) issued by respondent No.1 University to each of the petitioner, asking them to explain as to why their admissions to the said course be not cancelled on account of submission of incorrect NEET details at the time of admission, which fact was deliberately suppressed by the College. In the show cause notices, five days time was granted to the petitioners to submit their responses.

2. This Court, while taking cognizance of the matter on 16.06.2025, provisionally permitted petitioners to appear in the exams commencing from

17.06.2025 in different streams (petitioners No.1 and 2 for last semester and petitioners No.3 to 15 for third year examination).

2.1 CM-10752-CWP-2025 has been filed by petitioners No.1 and 2 seeking direction to declare their results for the last semester examination, in which they had appeared by virtue of interim order dated 16.06.2025, so that they can pursue their one year internship.

3. The facts of this case disclose that petitioners No.1 and 2 had been admitted to 4 ½ years BAMS (UG) course in respondent No.2 College in the academic sessions 2020-21, and petitioners No.3 to 15 were admitted to the said course in the academic session 2021-22. During counseling, admission forms of the petitioners had been filled by Admission Agents, namely Tarsem Kumar and Raj Kumar, who entered incorrect information by mentioning such ranking of the petitioners in NEET examination, which gave an impression that they had passed the NEET examination.

4. Learned counsel for respondent No.1 University, on instructions, submits that a complaint from one Rajbir Singh from Patiala was received about the aforesaid irregularity. The complaint on being received by the Vice Chancellor of respondent No.1 University, was directed to be inquired into by a former Judge of this Court. Accordingly, Shri Rajiv Narain Raina, a former Judge of this Court, was appointed as Enquiry Officer. The said Enquiry Officer is presently seized of the matter before whom the enquiry is underway. 5. In view of the aforesaid factual matrix, this Court would not like to enter into merits of the case, lest the Enquiry Officer may be prejudiced.

6. Accordingly, this petition stands disposed of with following directions :

(i) Respondent No.1 University shall ensure that the enquiry is completed within a period of five weeks, for which we request the Enquiry Officer to conclude the enquiry within said period.

(ii) Results of the examination, in which the petitioners had been provisionally permitted to appear vide interim order dated 16.06.2025, shall not be declared, but shall remain subject to outcome in the enquiry.

(iii) However, the petitioners, apart from petitioners No.1 and 2, shall be permitted to attend their classes in the next semester on provisional basis, which shall also always remain subject to outcome in the enquiry.

(iv) It is further directed that so far as petitioners No.1 and 2 are concerned, who have appeared in the last semester examination, they shall be provisionally allowed to pursue their one year internship, which is starting from tomorrow, i.e. 30.07.2025.

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