$~1 to 4 (Special Bench)

*

IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI

Date of Decision: 4^th March, 2022

+

W.P.(C) 3945/2020 & CM APPLs. 21339/2020, 24261/2020

DHRITIMAN RAY

..... Petitioner

Through:

Mr. Sarthak Maggon, Advocate.

(M: 7045654395)

versus

UNIVERSITY OF DELHI & ORS.

..... Respondents

Through:

Mr. Mohinder JS Rupal & Mr. V.

Bhawani, Advocates for DU. (M:

9711151216)

Ms. Nidhi Raman, CGSC with Mr.

Zubin Singh, Advocate for UoI.

Mr. Apoorv Kurup & Ms. Nidhi

Mittal, Advocates for R-4 (UGC) (M:

8447971163) 2

WITH

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W.P.(C) 4444/2020 & CM APPLs. 16012-13/2020

DR. AKSHITA KHOSLA

..... Petitioner

Through:

Mr. Sarthak Maggon, Advocate.

versus

UNIVERSITY OF DELHI AND ORS

..... Respondents

Through:

Mr. Mohinder JS Rupal & Mr. V.

Bhawani, Advocates for DU.

Ms. Nidhi Raman, CGSC with Mr.

Zubin Singh, Advocate for UoI.

Mr. Apoorv Kurup & Ms. Nidhi

Mittal, Advocates for R-4 (UGC)

3

WITH

+

W.P.(C) 4571/2020 & CM APPLs. 16511-12/2020

DR. NAMAN BARECHA & ORS.

..... Petitioners

Through:

Mr. Sarthak Maggon, Advocate.

versus

This is a digitally signed Judgement.

NEUTRAL CITATION NO: 2022/DHC/000876

UNIVERSITY OF DELHI & ORS.

..... Respondents

Through:

Mr. Mohinder JS Rupal & Mr. V.

Bhawani, Advocates for DU.

Mr. Apoorv Kurup & Ms. Nidhi

Mittal, Advocates for R-4 (UGC)

Mr. Rajendra Sahu, Sr. Panel Counsel

for R-4/UOI

4

AND

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W.P.(C) 4754/2020

DR MILI ROHILLA & ORS.

..... Petitioners

Through:

None.

versus

UNIVERSITY OF DELHI & ORS.

..... Respondents

Through:

Mr. Mohinder JS Rupal & Mr. V.

Bhawani, Advocates for DU.

Mr. Apoorv Kurup & Ms. Nidhi

Mittal, Advocates for R-4 (UGC).

CORAM:

JUSTICE PRATHIBA M. SINGH

Prathiba M. Singh, J. (Oral)

1.

This hearing has been done through hybrid conferencing.

2. The present batch of writ petitions before the Court was filed by

students of the University of Delhi (hereinafter “University”) studying

various courses who graduated in the year 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020. The

petitions were filed in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic. Their grievance

was that they were unable to get original degree certificates and transcripts

issued from the University. The Petitioners had approached the Court as

there was unreasonable delay in the issuance of the transcripts and the

degree certificates. The Petitioners had applied to various programs in

foreign universities, however due to non-issuance of original documents by

This is a digitally signed Judgement.

NEUTRAL CITATION NO: 2022/DHC/000876

the University, they were unable to proceed with their further education

thereby causing irreparable harm to their career prospects. On the first date

of hearing, it was brought to the attention of the Court that non-issuance of

the degree certificate was due to non-availability of proper quality paper and

the fact that the University’s contract with the printer had expired.

3. The Petitions were listed before the Court from time to time and

various directions were passed. Owing to the deadlines within which the

transcripts and certificates were needed, arrangements were directed to be

made that in case of urgency, the same would be issued in the form of hand-

written, digital degrees etc., wherever it was deemed necessary. The degrees

and transcripts in respect of all the Petitioners and other similarly placed

candidates who had sought intervention, were issued as noted in orders

dated 7^th September 2020 & 14^th December, 2020.

4. However, in order to ensure that students are able to obtain their

degree certificates without having to approach the Court each time, this

Court vide order dated 23^rd July 2020 directed the University to come up

with a protocol for the issuance of digital degree certificates. The relevant

directions of the Court read as under-

This is a digitally signed Judgement.

NEUTRAL CITATION NO: 2022/DHC/000876

This is a digitally signed Judgement.

NEUTRAL CITATION NO: 2022/DHC/000876

List on 4th August,