Disposed¶9

Dr. Vikas Bajpai v. Jawaharlal Nehru University & Ors.

Delhi HC8 Apr 2026W.P.(C)/4283/2026

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Recruitment-delay mandamus: JNU Professor post, Centre for Social Medicine and Community Health, advertisement No. RC/73/2025; provisional shortlist not finalised; no interview schedule; six-week direction to complete selection; UGC Regulations compliance plea held premature/no adjudication; Delhi High Court, W.P.(C) 4283/2026 & CM APPL. 20882/2026, Sanjeev Narula J., 08.04.2026.

What did the court decide?

Direction to the Respondents to conclude the selection process expeditiously, preferably within six weeks; the selection pursuant to the advertisement to be conducted in accordance with law; pending applications, if any, stand disposed of. ¶9

Dr. Vikas Bajpai Vs Jawaharlal Nehru University & Ors. — Delhi HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

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Issue for consideration

Whether the Respondent University should be directed, by writ of mandamus, to finalise the shortlist and communicate the interview schedule, i.e., conclude the selection process for the advertised Professor post, within a time-bound manner. +1 more

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Court's answer

The writ petition is disposed of with a direction to the Respondents to conclude the selection process expeditiously and, preferably, within a period of six weeks.

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Ratio / Principle

No adjudication is warranted at this stage on the prayer seeking directions for compliance with UGC Regulations: the contention is premised on mere apprehension and would, in any event, require detailed examination of facts, including a counter affidavit, in relation to a process which is yet to be concluded.

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Key takeaways

It is observed that the selection process pursuant to the advertisement shall be conducted in accordance with law.ratio¶8

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

High Court of Delhi (Sanjeev Narula, J.), W.P.(C) 4283/2026 & CM APPL. 20882/2026, decided 08.04.2026: Dr. Vikas Bajpai, provisionally shortlisted for the post of Professor (Unreserved), Centre for Social Medicine and Community Health, Jawaharlal Nehru University (advertisement No. RC/73/2025, July 2025), sought mandamus to conclude the stalled selection process - no final shortlist or interview schedule had been issued more than four months after the 2nd November, 2025 deadline for representations from non-shortlisted candidates, despite representations to the University. The Court declined to adjudicate the ancillary plea for ensured compliance with UGC Regulations (mere apprehension; premature pending conclusion of the process and a counter affidavit), observing that the selection pursuant to the advertisement shall be conducted in accordance with law. Petition disposed of with a direction to conclude the selection expeditiously, preferably within six weeks; pending applications disposed.

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$~86

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI

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- W.P.(C) 4283/2026 & CM APPL. 20882/2026

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DR. VIKAS BAJPAI .....Petitioner

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Through: Ms. Shreya Munoth, Advocate.

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versus

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JAWAHARLAL NEHRU UNIVERSITY & ORS. .....Respondents Through: Mr. Vasanth Rajasekaran, Senior Standing Counsel with Mr. Karan Prakash, Mr. Harshvardhan Korada, Ms. Deepshikha Kumar and Mr. Om Bali, Advocates for R-1.

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CORAM:

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HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SANJEEV NARULA

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O R D E R

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% 08.04.2026

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The Petitioner has been provisionally shortlisted for the post of Professor (Unreserved), Centre for Social Medicine and Community Health which was advertised by Jawaharlal Nehru University¹ by advertisement No. RC/73/2025 in July, 2025.

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The limited grievance of the Petitioner is that, despite being provisionally shortlisted for the said post and notwithstanding the lapse of more than four months from the last date for receipt of representations from non-shortlisted candidates (i.e., 2^nd November, 2025), the RespondentUniversity has neither released the final list of shortlisted candidates nor communicated any schedule regarding the interview for the said post.

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1 “JNU”

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This is a digitally signed order.

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The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 09/04/2026 at 13:14:08

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It is emphasised that, as per the express terms of the advertisement, the selection for the post is to be based on the performance of candidates in the interview to be conducted by a duly constituted Selection Committee, and the delay in finalising the shortlist has consequently stalled the next stage of the process.

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Ms. Shreya Munoth, counsel for the Petitioner, states that representations were also made to the University seeking expeditious completion of the process; however, no action has been taken. Aggrieved thereby, the present petition has been filed seeking a writ of mandamus directing the Respondents to conclude the selection process within a timebound manner.

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Ms. Munoth, further submits that, having regard to past instances, the Petitioner apprehends that the Respondents may not adhere to the applicable UGC Regulations and minimum qualifications in conducting the said process, and accordingly seeks appropriate directions to ensure that the selection is carried out strictly in accordance with law.

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On the previous date, considering the limited nature of relief sought, this Court, instead of calling for a counter affidavit, directed counsel for Respondent No. 1 to obtain instructions regarding the timeline for completion of the selection process.

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In terms of the said directions, Mr. Karan Prakash, counsel for Respondent No. 1, on instructions, submits that no specific timeline can presently be indicated, as the subject experts required to be part of the Selection Committee are not available. He, however, submits that efforts shall be made to conclude the selection process within the month of April.

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Insofar as the prayer seeking directions for compliance with UGC

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This is a digitally signed order.

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The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 09/04/2026 at 13:14:08

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Regulations is concerned, this Court is of the view that, at this stage, no adjudication is warranted. The said contention is premised on mere apprehension and would, in any event, require a detailed examination of facts, including a counter affidavit, in relation to a process which is yet to be concluded. It is, however, observed that the selection process pursuant to the advertisement shall be conducted in accordance with law.

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In view of the above, the present writ petition is disposed of with a direction to the Respondents to conclude the selection process expeditiously and, preferably, within a period of six weeks from today.

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Pending applications, if any, also stands disposed of.

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SANJEEV NARULA, J

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APRIL 8, 2026 as

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This is a digitally signed order. The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 09/04/2026 at 13:14:08

Dr. Vikas Bajpai v. Jawaharlal Nehru University & Ors.

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

Dr. Vikas Bajpai v. Jawaharlal Nehru University & Ors.

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

Why is it important?

What the court decided

Issues for consideration

Statutes considered

Procedural history

Parties & counsel

Coram

Case details

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