Why haven’t pupils been given degrees, HC asks varsity VC

Expressing concern over delay in issuing certificates and degrees to reserved category students, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed Panjab University’s Vice-Chancellor and Registrar to appear before it either in person or through videoconferencing.

The direction came as Justice Jasgurpreet Singh Puri of the high court virtually rapped the varsity for prima facie being numb towards the rights of its students. “Prima facie, it appears that the Panjab University appears to be insensitive towards the rights of their own students,” the court asserted.

The Bench was hearing a petition filed against the State of Punjab and other respondents by Janak Raj and other petitioners through counsel Yagyadeep and Rajesh Kumar.

The Bench, during the course of hearing, was told that the petitioners’ detailed marks cards and degrees were not been issued by the varsity on the ground that Hoshiarpur government college had not deposited their examination fee. As such, neither the result was declared, nor degrees issued.

The petitioners’ stand in the matter was that they were covered by the post-matric scholarship scheme, the benefit of which was given by the Centre and the state government to government colleges. They were not under liability to pay examination fee because as it stood waived in case of reserved category candidates.

Justice Puri said: “This court takes very serious view of such cases, wherein the petitioners, who are the students from the reserved category have not been issued their certificates and there is no fault on their part in this regard.”

The court observed ordinarily it would refrain from asking officials to appear before the Bench, but it in this case it is necessary to expand the petition’s scope given the gravity of the matter. “This court has no option but to direct that the Vice-Chancellor and Registrar of Panjab University shall appear either in person or through videoconferencing,” the judge said.