Deemed varsities entitled to fix minimum eligibility for courses, says Madras HC

Chennai

When the plea came for hearing, Justice S Vaidyanathan pointed out that the institute was a deemed University which is entitled to fix minimum standard that may be more than what has been prescribed in the rules. Hence, the court could not sit on the administrative side and decide what were the qualifications that could be fixed for programme in PG diploma in sanitary inspector course.

There was nothing wrong in the university’s decision to fix the minimum eligibility requirements for a particular programme so as to ensure that it enrolled only those with better quality, said the judge. “I find there is no reason to interfere with the said prospectus. The university may fix higher standards in the future years to come. We cannot direct the University on the administrative side to take old prospectus and include the same,” he added.

Noting that the condition was not there in earlier prospectus, the petitioner argued that the new criteria would affect the admission of those with B Sc degree but without Biology, Botany and Zoology in Class 12. It was also pointed out that even in Tamil Nadu Municipal Corporation Public Health Subordinate Service Rules, 1996, the specified qualification for PG diploma in sanitary inspector course only seeks a pass in B Sc Chemistry.