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HIGH COURT OF DELHI
Date of Decision: 22nd September, 2020
DR. VIJENDER KUMAR ..... Petitioner
Through: Mr. Sarthak Maggon, Advocate.
Through: Mr. Mohinder J.S. Rupal & Mr. Hardik Rupal, Advocates for R-1.
Dr. Vikrant Narayan Vasudeva, Mr. Parv Ahluwalia & Mr. Sarthak Chiller, Advocates for R-3/MAIDS.
Mr. Apoorv Kurup & Ms. Nidhi Mittal, Advocates for UGC/R-5.
Ms. Nidhi Raman, CGSC for R-6/UOI (M-9891088658)
Ms. Shefali Vohra, Advocate for R7/ GNCTD (M-9313181836)
Mr. T. Singhdev & Ms. Michelle B.
Das, Advocates for R-4/DCI
JUDGMENT
1. The hearing has been held through video conferencing.
2. The present petition was filed by several doctors pursuing the Master of Dental Sciences (“MDS”) course at Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences (hereinafter, ‘MAIDS’). They had approached this Court seeking relaxation of the deadline for submitting their thesis, as part of their course curriculum. Vide a detailed order dated 20th July, 2020, this Court had extended the deadline in the following terms:
3. University of Delhi (hereinafter, ‘DU’) has now filed a short affidavit, stating that the benefit of the order dated 20th July, 2020 has been given to the Petitioners, in terms of the said order. The relevant extract of the counteraffidavit is set out below:
4. A perusal of the above paragraph shows that insofar as the current academic session is concerned, the order dated 20th July, 2020 has been accepted in respect of all the Petitioners and similarly placed students. In the order dated 20th July, 2020, the Court had raised various questions that had arisen for determination. However, in view of the fact that the order dated 20th July, 2020 has now operated till date and the students have been given benefit of the said order, these questions are not being adjudicated. The questions of law raised in this petition are left open. This Court has not rendered any opinion or made any observations in respect of DU’s stand that the date of submission of thesis would be 30th April each year.
5. Insofar as the late fee of Rs.5,000/- is concerned, the present order be communicated to MAIDS. The late fee was deposited only due to the orders of this Court and was subject to further orders. The directions given in the order dated 20th July, 2020 have now been accepted by all the parties, and accordingly MAIDS is directed to grant refund or adjustment of Rs.5000/- to the Petitioners and other similarly situated candidates, who have made the payment of late fee for submission of their thesis.
6. With these observations the petition is disposed of. All pending applications are also disposed of.
PRATHIBA M. SINGH, J. SEPTEMBER 22, 2020 Rahul/A