No relief granted to around 1,000 engineering students who had approached the Bombay high court seeking directions to the Mumbai University to appear for their semester exams of fourth year, in the this academic year after they clear their ATKT (Allow to Keep Term) exams. The court also vacated the interim relief granted to students last month by allowing them to appear for the viva and practical exams.
A division bench of Justice Naresh Patil and Justice A P Bhangale, dismissed the petition filed by student Krutika Sakhare, representing around 1,000 students, thus implying that they will have to clear their backlog exams and then appear for the next semester in 2015, which will be based on the new syllabus.
Counsel Rui Rodrigues appearing for the University said, "The interim order passed by the high court on October 27, allowing students to take viva and practical exams stands cancelled. They have been barred from appearing for the theory exams starting on November 18."
The court accepted the arguments made by Rodriges that, "Hardships cannot justify such a challenge to the rules and regulations. Revising the syllabus and introducing of credit and grading system is an academic policy decision. It cannot be altered at the instance of those (students) who have violated the ordinance."
Sakhare had moved the court against the MU, ordinance of 2013, which makes it mandatory for engineering students, to appear for their fourth year exams, as per the new syllabus.
They wanted the university to allow them to appear for their VII and VIII semester exams, in the same academic year of 2014-2015 after clearing ATKT, as it was allowed in the year 2009, by issuing a circular.
Advocate, Nitin Gangal, appearing for the students argued: "We have challenged the MU ordinance of 2013. That ordinance was passed in August 2013. As per that students who will clear their ATKT this year (2014-15), will have to appear next year for their fourth year exams. This will affect their academics and also placement."
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