Writ petition challenging the discontinuation of a Psychology course by a University under UGC guidelines. The Court held the University was bound to continue the course due to UGC directives for enrolled students.
Directed respondents to continue the Psychology course for the academic year 2025-2026. Writ allowed without costs.
This page shows the compact analysis of this judgement. The full analysis — procedural history, issue-by-issue holdings with ratio and obiter, advocates, and paragraph-level evidence for every claim — is being added to the record in batches and will appear here when this judgement has been through it.
132521
HIGH COURT FOR THE STATE OF TELANGANA AT HYDERABAD (Special Original Jurisdiction)
TUESDAY, THE TWENTY THIRD DAY OF DECEMBER TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY FIVE
PRESENT
THE HONOURABLE MRS JUSTICE SUREPALLI NANDA
WRIT PETITION NO: 31405 OF 2025
Between:
Amrita Amritraj, D/o. Jaideep Kumar Amritraj, Aged about 25years, .Occ. Student, R/o. H.No. 6-3-59718, Andnd Nagar, Khairtabad,Hyderabad-S00 004, T.s.
...PETITIONER
AND
...RESPONDENTS
Petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of lndiapraying that in the circunistances stated in the affidavit filed therewith, theHigh Court maybe pleased to issue a Writ, Order or direction more particularly one in the nature of Writ of Mandamus to declare the action of therespondent No. 1 and 2 in discontinuing the course of Psychologyfor theacademic year 2025-2026notified in terms of Notification dated 03-10-2025 issued byRespondentNo. 2l Dr.B.R.Ambedkar Open University, Prof.G.RamReddy Marg, Road No. 46, Hyderabad, Rep. by its Secretary, after confirmationof admissionof studentto the course as illegal, arbitrary and against theprinciples of Natural Justice amounting to deprivation of education in termsof Art. 21 A of the Constitutionof lndia and direct the respondents to continue thePsychology Coursefor the academicyear 2025-2026.
lA NO: 1 OF 2025
Petition under Section 151 CPCpraying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavil filed in support of the petition, the High Court may bepleased to direct the resp,ondents to continue the Psychology Course for the academicyear 2025-2026 of Dr.B.R.Ambedkar Open University, Prof G Ram Reddy [Marg, Road No. 46, Hyde"abad, Rep. by its Secretary, pending disposal of the above writ petition.
Counsel for ttre Petitioner: SRI T.SHARATH
Counsel for ttre Respondent No.1: SRI M.P.KASHYAP, SC FOR UGC Counsel for ttre Respondent No.2: SRI D.RAMA KRISHNA, SC FOR UNIV.
The Court maCe the following: ORDER
( I I I ! ! i :
IN THE HIGH COURT FORTHE STATE OF TELANGANA AT HYDERABAD
THE HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICESUREPALLI NANDA
WRIT PETITION No.314O5of 2O25
DATE: 23.L2.2O25
BETWEEN:
Amrita Amritraj
Petitioner
And
University Grants Commission(UGC),
Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg,New Delhi,
PIN: 110 002, Rep. by its Secretaryand another
Respondents
ORDER
Heard Sri T. Sharath,learned counselappearing on behalf of thepetitioner, Sri M.P. Kashyap,learned Standing Counsel for UniversityGrantsCommission appearing on behalf of therespondentNo.1 and sri D. Rarna Krishna, learned standingcounsel for Dr. B.R. Ambedkar open university appearingon behalf of the respondent No.2.
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SN,J W.P.No.314O5 of 2O25
2. f$e oetitioner aooroached the Court seekino
Draver its under:
"....to issue a Writ, Order or direction more particularly one in the nature of Writ of Mandamus to declare the action of the respondent Nos. 1 and 2 in discr>ntinuing the course of Psychology for the academic year 2025-2026 notified in terms of Notification dated 03l0-2O25 issued by Respondent No.2/Dr.B.R. Ambedkar Open University Prof. G.Ram Reddy Marg Road No. 46, Hydr:rabad Rep. by its Secretary after confirmation of admission of student to the course as illegal arbitrary and against the principles of Natural Justice amounting to deprivation of education in terms of Art. Zt A of the Cons;titution of India and direct the respondents to cont nue the Psychology Course for the academic year 202:;-2026 and to pass.."
i) In l:ursuance to a notification issued in July 2O2S by the respondent No.2, the petitioner applied for B.A. English with optional :;ubjects Psychology and Sociology and was granted admission after certificate verification and payment of fees.
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sNrJ W.P.No.314O5 of 2O25
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ii) subsequently, the University issued a notification stating that in accordance with the UGC guidelines psychology would not be offered in oDL/online mode from the academic year 2025-2026 onwards, and accordingly gave the students the option either to seek a refund or to change the subject.
iii) Although the UGC decision was taken on 22.04.2025, the respondents had issued the notification belatedly on 1,2-08.2025 discontinuing the psychology course for the academic year 2025-2026, which was being offered by the 2nd respondent University on the basis of uGC guidelines. Aggrieved by the same, the petitioner has approached this Court by filing the present writ petition.
4. PERUSED THE RECORD
A) The levant ause b( ) of the UGC ou t*l nd
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sNrJ W.P.No.314O5 of 2O25
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"As a special case and considering the academic future and interest of students who are already enrolled in such pro(lrammes, HEIs shall be advised to offer such pro(Jrammes in the hybrid mode, in compliance with the nonns prescribed by the NCAHp.'
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5.1 The respondent Nos. 1 and 2 cannot discontinue the Psychology course for the academic year 2025-2026 by way of the notification dated 12.08.202s which was issued through the 2nd r,:spondent University.
5.2 The petitioner's admission to the psychology course for the academic year 2025-2026 had arready been confirmed. Therefortl, any subsequent decision of the UGC to discontinue the distance education and online mode for psychology and few other subjects for the July-August 2025 academic session gives rise to a legitimate expectation in favour of the petitioner- to pursue and complete the course for the academic year 202;-2026, and the same cannot be discontinued.
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SN,J W.P.No.31405 of2025
learned Basinq on the aforesaidsubmissions, counsel aooearinq on behalf of theoetitionercontends that the oetitioner is entitledfor the relief as pravedfor in the Dreset writ oetition.
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SN,J W.P.No.31405 of 2O25
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e.lN:
a) The aforesaid facts and circumstances of the case,
b) Ttre submissions made by the learned counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioner, tearned standing counserl for UGC appearing on beharf of the respondent No.1 and the learned Standing Counsel for Dr. e.n.ambedkar open university appearing on beharf of the resprondent No.2,
c) The relevant clause b(iii) of the ucc guidetines dated 1:1.o8.2025 (referred to and extracted above),
d) Thr: discussion and ioncrusion as arrived at paragralrh Nos.S to g of the present order,
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sNrJ W.P.No.31405 of 2025
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UGC Guidelines dated 11.O8.2025. in particular. Clause
be no order as to costs.
Miscellaneous petitions, if doy, pending in this Writ Petition, shall stand closed.
SD/-P. PONNA KRISHNA ASSISTANT BreISTRAR /TRUE COPYII /a
SECT}U( oFFICER
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To,
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HIGH CICURT
DATED: 2311212025
ORDER
WP.No.3 1405 of 2025
F 1HE S
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ALLOWING THE WRIT PETITION, WITHOUT COSTS
2 issues framed by the court
Whether the University was bound to continue the Psychology course for the academic year 2025-2026 despite the discontinuation notification.
Whether the petitioner has a legitimate expectation to pursue the admitted course based on previous confirmation.
2 provisions across 2 enactments
Amrita Amritraj
University Grants Commission
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Open University
SUREPALLI NANDA
As recorded by the court registry
Judgements on the same questions, provisions and authorities, from every court
